I try not to mess much with boring author notes for this story, so yeah, go ahead and read. I do apologize for grammatical and spelling errors. I've got a blasted Kidney stone, and the pain is killing me, but I still wanted to get this up for you all.
"Phoebe? Piper? Did you or did you not summon me?" Prue asked again, contorting the teen's face into the 'answer me or else' expression.
"Ehhh… Not," Phoebe told her, trying to usher Paige toward the door. One less thing to explain at that moment.
"The what or how did I get her? Wait, what are you doing?"
"Ummm… nothing." Phoebe cringed. How did she do that? How could a Prue, in the body of a child, stop her cold. She touched Paige's shoulder, motioning for her sister to return to the center of the room with her.
"Prue, calm down for a second so we can explain." Piper said, more forcefully than she had ever spoken to her older sister before. She was getting rather comfortable in the role of oldest. Prue paused and folded her arms over her chest, staring at Piper and Phoebe.
"So…" Phoebe mouthed.
"So explain!" Prue stated simply.
"Where do you want us to start, your highness." Phoebe shot back.
"Argh! Stop that! I feel like I'm in the middle of you two again." Piper cut into the semi-feud. Prue had been back for less than two minutes. Paige snorted out a small laugh, and Phoebe tried to hide a grin.
"It does, doesn't it?" she said quietly to Piper, who nodded.
"Whatever." Prue shook her head. "Why not start with her?" she suggested, jerking her head towards Paige. "She obviously knows we're witches, or she'd be freaked out about now. How did she find you out?"
Piper and Phoebe sighed. "I can't believe Grams and mom kept her in the dark about this." Piper said.
"Grams? What about the Elders? I bet it was their doing." Phoebe argued.
"Guys! It doesn't matter why she doesn't know The point is, she doesn't know." Paige cut in, getting tired of beating around the bush. She turned back to her older; no younger; oh, what did it matter, it was too confusing to follow anyway; turned back to her sister. "Prue, my name is Paige Matthews Halliwell, and I'm your younger half-sister." Paige blurted out.
"What?" Prue stared at her.
"Oh boy."
"Uh-oh."
Paige shot Piper and Phoebe glares, and then turned back to Prue. "It's true. After Phoebe was born, mom had an affair with her white lighter, Sam, and Poof! Instantaneous fourth Halliwell daughter. But white lighters and witches couldn't be in love. You know about Piper and Leo. So mom abandoned me in a church. My adoptive parents died a few years before I found Piper and Phoebe, right after you died."
"I don't believe it," Prue said after a few moments.
"I know. I was surprised to find out too," Paige answered, smiling.
"No. I mean I really don't believe it. And you two bought her story?" Prue asked, turning on her two younger siblings.
"Prue, calm down."
"No Piper! I will not calm down. I can't believe you and Phoebe believed her story. I go away for five years and this is the trouble you get into. It's a wonder you aren't dead."
"They're alive because of the Power of Three!" Paige shot back. Prue moved her hand and threw Paige against the wall."
"Paige!" Phoebe yelled, and ran to her younger sibling. She knelt beside her, as Paige rubbed her forehead, which was bleeding slightly. Phoebe held her back from retaliating.
"The Power of Three ended when I died!" Prue shot at her. She turned back to Piper. "She's probably a warlock. I can't believe you let her in here!"
"Who's a warlock?" A new male voice entered the attic.
Prue looked up at Leo, and gave a small, half smile. "Leo! Thank god. Tell my sisters they've been harboring a warlock!" Prue said, looking toward Piper's husband.
"Um… sisters?" Leo asked confused. Who was the teen?
"Oh, um, Leo, you remember Prue," Phoebe said forcefully, drawing out her sisters name, hoping her brother-in-law, white lighter would take the hint.
Leo frowned, and Piper jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow, so Prue wouldn't notice. "Ow-oh! Sorry Prue. I didn't recognize you at first. It's been a while. You said Piper, Phoebe, and Paige have been harboring a warlock? I haven't sensed any, but I'll check."
"What? No! Paige, or whatever her name is, is the warlock!" Prue exclaimed, finally standing up and placing her hands on her hips.
"No Prue! Don't!" Phoebe called out. But it was too late; Prue looked up at Phoebe. Way up. Her mouth dropped open slightly and her eyes got larger.
"When did you get some much taller than me?" She whimpered, obviously scared.
Phoebe bit her lip. "When you turned into a child."
Again, Prue's eyes got large. "What!" she exclaimed, running out of the attic towards the nearest mirror.
"Wait a minute! Prue!" Piper said, taking off after her older sister. Phoebe was right behind her, and Paige attempted to follow.
"Paige, wait." Leo stopped her. "Maybe it's better if Piper and Phoebe calm her down alone?" He asked, more suggesting that it might be a good idea. Paige sighed and nodded. She walked across the attic and sat down on the futon where Phoebe had left the book of shadows. She began to flip through the pages.
"What are you looking for?" Leo asked, quietly approaching her. He sat down beside his sister-in-law, who shrugged. "Paige?" He asked again, drawing out the 'a' in her name.
"You sound like Piper when you do that." Paige informed him, attempting to change the subject, but not looking up from the ancient pages. Where was that blasted spell?
"Paige!" Leo said, causing her to look him in the eye. He had one eyebrow raised in question. She sighed, defeated.
"Why does she have to not believe me? Why is she so quick to think I'm evil? Why is it so hard for her to believe that she could have another sister?" She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. Leo sighed. He had a feeling that was what was bothering Paige. She was one of his charges, not to mention one of his sisters-in-law; they both were.
"Prue is having a hard time believing that her perfect mother could have had an affair, let alone lie to her. Plus, she's always been very protective of Piper, and especially Phoebe. She's not nearly as trusting as they are. But if there is anyone who can convince her, it's those two." When Paige didn't seem to believe him, Leo paused. "And they can always summon Patty and Penny back. So disappearing is not the answer." Leo explained, placing his hand on the Book of Shadows. Paige blushed and gave a sheepish smile.
"That obvious, huh?" she asked and Leo smiled and nodded. Paige just shook her head, and closed the book. "Alright. I'll stay." She paused and then frowned at her brother-in-law. "Leo, where are Wyatt and Chris?"
"Magic school." Leo informed her. "I sensed you all were in some type of trouble." Paige nodded. "My turn. How did Prue get here in the body of a teenager?"
"No fair! My question was easy." Paige protested. Leo shrugged and raised his eyebrows. "Oh, alright. Sheez, how does Piper deal with you?" she laughed and began the long complicated explanation to the white lighter.
Piper found Prue staring into the mirror of the upstairs bathroom, her eyes moist with unshed tears. Phoebe stopped behind her older sister and peered at Prue over Piper's shoulder. The older witch moved to the side slightly so Phoebe could help.
Prue could recognize herself in the teen. The girl looked much as Prue had when she was fourteen. Infact, had someone not known better, they would swear that the girl and Prue were twins.
"Oh honey," Phoebe began, but Prue cut her off.
"Who is she?"
Piper sighed. She knew Prue wouldn't easily accept this, and she guessed that Prue was starting to grasp what had occurred. "Patience Halliwell." Piper told her. Her older sister nodded and sat down on the lid of the toilet, cradling her aching head in her hands. How could this be.
"Prue?" Phoebe asked tentatively. She felt like taking her now teenage sister in her arms and cradling her. Being an older sister to Paige for the last five years had changed her.
"So how did I get in her body?"
Piper nodded, understanding that Prue knew that that had happened, and knowing it was time for an explanation. "Fourteen years ago, Grams began to think about the mortality of the charmed ones. She was unaware of Paige's existence." Piper paused when Prue winced at the sound of her younger half-sister's name. "So Grams took DNA from mom and Dad, from us and created a little girl. She used a spell to hide Patience from us, and then sent her to a school for young women." Piper stopped again and waited for Prue to nod her understanding. Prue signaled that she understood and that they should continue.
"Patience was created for one purpose, Prue. To become an open vessel for one of us, if we should die prematurely. In this case, that would be you. Five years after you died, your soul could then enter Patience and live again. If none of us had died, Patience would have continued to live her own life, and die an old woman." Phoebe finished the explanation for Piper.
"So, I really am alive then?" Prue asked. "I haven't just been summoned?"
"Nope, you're really alive. A thirty year old in a fourteen-year-old's body, but alive." Piper told her, smiling and running her hands through Prue's hair, switching into mommy Piper mode. Prue just shook her head.
"I know it's a lot to comprehend, but we swear, every word of it is true. And it's not possible for us to have gotten something wrong, as mom and grams didn't tell us until about 5 minutes before you moved into Patience." Phoebe explained in their defence. Prue nodded and pulled back some tears, both of joy and sorrow. She couldn't believe that just because she died, a young girl's life was sacrificed, magically created or not. She took a deep breath and looked at her young sisters.
"And Paige?"
"Really is our sister." Phoebe said softly.
"Half-sister." Piper corrected. "But we still love her, and we can't have you trying to vanquish her."
"Not that we don't love you, too." Phoebe added, hugging Prue around the shoulders. Prue nodded and let it sink in.
"She got your smile, Prue." Piper told her.
"And your legacy," Phoebe told her, smiling. "With a white lighter twist." Prue looked at her sister, not completely understanding. "She has a twist to the telekinesis. She says something's name and thinks about it, and poof! It orbs too her," Phoebe finished. Prue laughed. A fourth sister. Another Halliwell for her to protect.
"Oh-no! I know that look all too well, missy." Phoebe laughed.
"What look?"
"You know. That 'I'll protect them at all costs' look," Piper added, having seen it in Prue's eye too.
"I don't have a look." Prue protested.
"Oh yes you do. But we hate to remind you, but you're in no position to be the oldest protector anymore. That's my territory now." Piper informed her.
"In case you've forgetten, I'm still thirty on the inside." Prue fought back.
"Yes, but that would still make Piper older than you."
"So I'll protect you and Paige."
"Some protector you'd be, shorty." Phoebe joked. Prue lunged for her, but Phoebe levitated out of the way.
"So not fair!" Prue pouted, but Phoebe just stuck her tongue out and laughed before settling back down on the floor.
"Prue?"
"Hmmm?"
"I think you owe someone an apology." Piper informed her. Prue nodded, and led the way back up to the attic. Things would be tricky now. She was alive; she had three sisters, not two; and she was only fourteen. But somehow, she would protect all three of them, should the need arise. And she had a feeling, it would.
Piper turned the attic door's handle, to find Leo and Paige in deep discussion about what had occurred. She placed her hands on her hips, and frowned when they didn't notice that the three of them had come back.
"Paige! Leo!"
Both white lighters sprang up, and Paige orbed out, and back in again. "Damn it! Didn't Grams say my power would be back to normal when this was over?"
"Nope," Phoebe told her, hopping over to the futon and sitting down. "But they should return to normal soon, now that the power hog is done borrowing them." She shot a mock glare at the teen in the doorway. Prue just stuck her tongue out at Phoebe. Paige looked from Piper, to Phoebe, to Prue, and then back to her older sisters. Prue sighed.
"I don't blame you if you hate me."
"I don't hate you."
"But if you did, I'd be alright with it. I used my power on you, and I shouldn't have. After all, you are my sister." Prue looked up at Paige.
"I take it that's an apology."
"As good a one as you'll ever get out of Prue." Phoebe shot from her corner in the attic. Prue glared at her. "What? I didn't say anything. It was Piper."
"Me? Whoa! Don't get me involved in this."
"What, Piper are you scared? She's fourteen!" Phoebe laughed, suddenly she was floating, and it wasn't her own levitation ability doing it. She folded her arms over her chest and pouted. "I forgot you could do that." Prue laughed and dropped Phoebe onto the futon. "Damn you."
"What was that?"
"Nothing… It was Paige."
"What?" Paige exclaimed!
"You never learn, do you Phoebs?" Piper asked, shaking her head. She turned to Paige. "Don't worry Paige. Prue always knows when Phoebe is looking for a scape goat."
"She does it often." Prue told her, looking at Piper and Paige, while keeping Phoebe suspended in the air.
"Personal gain! Personal gain!" Phoebe cried out! Prue shook her head.
"Nope! Sweet revenge." She dropped Phoebe again, this time, barely missing a chair.
"Hey, watch it." Phoebe said, rubbing a sore spot on her arm that bumped the chair as she fell. She yawned, and looked at her watch. "Gods, I'm tired. Did anyone realize it was six o'clock in the morning."
Piper, Paige, Prue, and Leo all shook their heads.
"Now that you mention it, I am exhausted." Prue said yawning.
"So am I." Paige added, glancing at her own watch.
"Where's Prue gonna sleep?" Phoebe asked, realizing they were out of bedrooms.
"She can sleep with me," Paige offered.
"You sure, Paige? I'm used to sharing a room with her." Phoebe told her younger sister.
"I'll sleep with Paige." Prue cut in, hurriedly. Phoebe pouted. "I really want to get to know her better." Paige smiled at her and led the way out of the attic.
"Really, you do?" Paige asked, surprised. Prue laughed.
"That and Phoebe kicks."
"Hey! I heard that!" Phoebe called, following them out. Piper just shook her head, and yawned.
"Tired sweety?" Leo asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her.
"Sweety my butt," she retorted, but she kissed him back. "You be exhausted too, if your younger sister had a feeling and made you stay up until midnight, then your mother and grandmother decide to invoke a premonition upon her, then you have to follow her in the dead of night to save some girl you never knew was your own flesh and blood, you kick demon ass, get knocked unconscious, summon your ancestors, who inform you that not only is the innocent your flesh and blood, but will become your older sister shortly. Then she becomes your older sister, in a smaller body, with a short fuse, and you spend the next half hour trying to calm her down enough that she doesn't do anything crazy."
"Did you just say all that in one breath?" Leo asked, laughing. Piper glared at him.
"Leo, you have the worst timing, you know that. I think it would have gone a little faster had you not orbed in."
"Sorry."
"Speaking of which, we have two sons. Where are they?"
"Oh! I almost forgot. They're at magic school. I'll go get them and meet you in bed?" Leo suggested. Piper nodded, and kissed his cheek. He orbed out in mid kiss.
"I hate when he does that." She remarked to herself, and walked out of the attic, shutting the light. She didn't see the Book's pages turn.
The Power of Four
We call upon the power of four
The power to light the way
A power greater than all
A power to seal away our fears forever
A power to make the darkness cower in terror
A power we possess deep in our hearts
A power that can never be destroyed
Turn this evil away from us
Banish it once and for all!
The power of Four will be your fall!
The spell flickered on the page and disappeared, leaving nothing but the page's heading left. And then the book closed.
Piper crept down the darkness of the hall and stopped in front of Paige's door. She opened it slowly, to find the curtains drawn closed completely and Paige laying sprawled out on the bed in a dead slumber. Prue sat beside her, watching her sister sleep, running her finger along Paige's locks.
"Sweetheart?"
"She really is like me."
"Yeah. She is. I knew you'd like her. Get some sleep Prue." Piper told her, coming in and kissing her sister on the forehead as a mother might do, and as she remembered Prue doing to Phoebe when they were little.
"Yeah, ok. Night, Piper."
"Night Prue." Piper closed the door and went across the hall. She opened the door slowly, so she wouldn't wake Phoebe. But, she didn't have to, Phoebe sat on her bed, holding a picture in her hands.
"Phoebs?" Piper asked. What was it with her sisters and being awake? Phoebe didn't even turn to look at Piper.
"Can it really be true?"
"What sweety?"
"That Prue's back?" Phoebe looked at her, tears in her eyes. Piper frowned and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. She approached Phoebe's bed and sat beside her sister, running her fingers over Phoebe's head. The younger witch turned and sobbed into Piper's shirt.
"Oh, Phoebe, what's wrong?" Piper asked, wondering why her kid sister was crying. Prue was back. She was alive. All four of them were together. Phoebe didn't answer, but continued to shake. Piper used one hand to sooth her sibling, and the other took the picture from Phoebe's hands. She looked down at the photo of her and Cole, her ex-husband. "Oh Phoebe." Piper pulled her sister away from her. "Look at me. I know it's painful."
"If she can come back Piper, why can't Cole? Why couldn't he come back good?" She pleaded with Piper. Her sister was lost for words. She watched Phoebe, searching her.
"I don't know Phoebs. I suppose it's possible that he could. But I don't know."
"Piper, it's not that I don't love her, and that I'm not thrilled to have her back, but I wish it had been him. I wish I had Cole back."
"No, Phoebe, you don't. And you know that." Piper told her. "I know you miss him. But deep down, Phoebs, you know he's where he belongs." Phoebe sighed and nodded. She took the picture away from Piper and instead of setting it back in the draw she had pulled it out of, she placed it beside her bed, next the picture of Prue, Piper, and herself as children, the picture of them as adults, and the picture she had of Piper, herself, and Paige. She brushed the tears away from her eyes.
"He belongs here." Phoebe said. "And where he is." Piper nodded, and ran her hand over Phoebe's face.
"Get some rest, Phoebe. You're exhausted from all the premonitions. You did the best. You found Patience." Phoebe nodded and layed down. Piper kissed her forehead, as Prue would have done, and tip toed to the door. She turned the handle and stepped into the hall. Turning around, she jumped.
"Prue!"
"Sorry, Piper," Prue said, sleepy eyed. "She wants Cole, doesn't she."
"You heard?" Piper asked.
"Yeah."
"Don't worry about it. She'll be ok."
"Where is he? Cole, I mean."
"He… um… well, Paige vanquished him with us, once and for all. He's dead, Prue."
"I figured as much. Should I talk to her?"
"In the morning. Right now, you both need to sleep." Super Mommy Piper! Prue smiled and saluted.
"You really took on the big sister role quickly, didn't you?"
"I learned from the best big sister ever." Piper responded, and hugged Prue before watching her disappear back into Paige's room.
"Piper? Are you coming to bed?" Leo called from the room he and Piper shared. Piper nodded and realized he couldn't see her. He must have gotten back when she was with Phoebe. She walked into her bed room and closed the door.
"Are the boys asleep?"
"For now. They slept the whole time at magic school. I have a feeling that they'll be bouncing off the walls soon."
"Great," Piper rolled her eyes as she put on her night gown.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of them in the morning. And the girls, are they asleep?"
Piper laughed. "I think so."
"What have we gotten ourselves into?" Piper asked.
"I dunno… five kids maybe." Leo retorted, and Piper threw her pillow at him, as she climbed into bed beside him. "Well, it seems like it right?"
Piper nodded, snuggling against his chest. "Yeah, but I don't mind it. I don't mind it at all."
"You're glad to have her back?"
"I'm glad to have all my sisters with me, no matter how they get along." Piper recalled Phoebe and Prue's relationship. Now that roles were, well, slightly, reversed, would things be better between them, or worse? She hadn't the slightest clue. And how would Paige adjust to a third sister? Would she quarrel with the other two, or would she be Piper's right hand man, ehh, woman? All she could do was wait and see.
"Wyatt Matthew! Christopher! Boys you're gonna run your father ragged before the day even has a chance to start!" Piper called into the room where she could hear the sounds of orbing going on. Both of her sons had not yet mastered distance orbing, but enjoyed playing tag with their father by orbing just beyond his reach. All she heard back was giggling, as she walked into the living room and leaning against the doorway's edge to watch them. Leo grabbed Chris's leg, and began to tickle him ruthlessly. Wyatt leapt onto his father's back, and the older white lighter pulled him over his shoulder and laid him beside his little brother. Then he began to tickle him. Laughter settled over the manor. Piper shook her head, and turned back to the kitchen, and jumped.
"Prue! You have to stop appearing like that. It's almost like you can orb or something." Piper laughed.
"Sorry, sis." Prue answered. She was wearing one of Paige's night shirts. Piper frowned.
"I suppose we'll have to take you shopping."
"Did I hear shopping?" Phoebe poked her sleepy head into the kitchen, and ruffled Prue's hair.
"Yeah, after breakfast we'll take Prue to get some clothes." Piper explained as she went to the stove.
"That's not necessary Piper. I'm sure there's a box of some of our old clothes in the basement." Prue explained. She walked toward the doorway of the basement. "Help me Phoebe?"
"Maybe later." Phoebe replied, sitting down at the table. "And even still, those clothes are so, not with the time. We should get you some new ones." She added, unfolding the newspaper. Prue looked at her for a second, her eyebrow raised. "What?" Phoebe exclaimed, seeing that Prue was staring at her questioningly.
"You're reading a part of the newspaper that isn't the classifieds."
Phoebe rolled her eyes. "In case you didn't know, Prudence, I do have a job, and I do read the paper." Phoebe went back to her reading. Piper shook her head from where she was cooking pancakes.
"Leave her be, Prue. Phoebe's fine." Prue nodded and went to the living room entrance, and leaned against the doorway watching Leo and the boys.
"They're beautiful, Piper." She told her sister, a tear in her eye. She was thinking about Andy again. She always did. She hadn't been able to meet up with him in the afterlife; and now she knew why. Because she was destined to come back. Piper turned to look at her. She placed her hand on the teens shoulder. Prue smiled up at her.
"I know you miss him, but maybe I'm not the one you should talk to about these feelings," Piper told her quietly, pointing at Phoebe. Prue looked closer at her little sister. It was true. Phoebe was in mock happiness mode. Yet, only Piper and Prue seemed to see it. They knew her the best. Prue nodded, and wipped her eyes. Phoebe had actually married Cole, attempted to overcome his evil, and failed, and he died at the hands of her sister. At least Phoebe could pretend like it was all ok. Like she was completely over him. Prue went over to her sister and placed her arms around her.
"Prue? What was that for?"
"It'll be alright Phoebs. Everything will be alright." Prue told her simply, and sat down at the table beside her. Phoebe just stared at her, confused, until she heard Piper's voice shout through the air. She wondered why Paige never woke up to it.
"Leo! Wyatt! Chris! Breakfast!" A stampede of feet responded to Piper's call as Wyatt ran into the kitchen. The boys were approximately four and a half and two and a half. Wyatt launched himself into the seat across from Phoebe, and Leo placed Chris in the booster chair beside him, before taking a seat at one of the ends of the table. Phoebe stood up to pour coffee for herself, Piper and Leo. She looked at Prue and then back at Piper. "Aww, what the hell." Piper told her, and Phoebe poured a fourth cup for her other sister. Then she left the pot and a fifth mug out for Paige. Piper placed pancakes down in front of everyone, and sat down opposite her husband. Leo was cutting up Chris's pancake, and Piper began to do the same with Wyatt's but bigger pieces. Phoebe and Prue had entered a discussion about Phoebe's job. Prue wanted to go see it, which actually surprised Phoebe. She smiled at her older sister. Leo and Piper were talking about the elders and the state of magic school under Paige's leadership. Wyatt was teasing his brother.
"Mommy?"
"Yes Wyatt?"
The little boy's voice had gotten everyone's attention.
"Who's that girl?" He pronounced it 'gawl', making Prue laugh a bit. Piper, Leo, and Phoebe froze. Wyatt and Chris believed that their aunt Prue was dead. How could they tell the children who Prue was without the boys being given the ability to accidentally expose them?
"I'm your second cousin, Prudence. But you can call me Prue." The teen told them, smiling. Piper and Phoebe smiled, and Leo sighed. That was Prue,ever quick to come up with an explanation.
"Will you pay wifs us, Pue?" Chris asked, his voice small. Prue smiled at her nefew.
"Of course I will Chris. But only if you and Wyatt eat all the breakfast your mommy made."
Both boys nodded and finished their meal without arguing. Wyatt put his napkin down, and hopped off his chair. He grabbed Prue's hand and began to drag her away from the conversation she was having with Phoebe.
"Wyatt. Let Prue finish talking to Aunt Phoebe."
"That's alright Piper. We're done, right Phoebs?" Prue asked, letting the boy pull her, as Leo helped Chris out of his seat. The younger boy immediately went to help his brother.
"Yeah. Shopping this afternoon?" Phoebe responded and Prue nodded.
"Shopping?" Paige asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Piper, Prue, and Phoebe burst into laughter.
"Morning sleeping beauty." Phoebe told her, as Paige poured herself some coffee and Phoebe and Piper cleared the table. Leo followed Wyatt, Chris, and Prue into the living room. "Sleep well?" Phoebe asked, looking at watch and seeing that it was noon.
"Yeah. It was peaceful. I know it's weird, but I felt protected, like no demons could have hurt me or anyone at that moment."
Piper smiled. "Prue has that effect. She's a great big sister."
"But it's up to us to protect her now." Phoebe added. Piper and Paige nodded.
"Now, about shopping?" Paige asked. Piper and Phoebe just laughed.
"Aww, come on. I want to go too."
"We're taking Prue to the mall to get new clothes." Piper filled her in.
"Ohhhh… she'll need them, won't she?" Paige asked, laughing.
"I heard that!" Prue called back from where she and the boys were sitting on the floor in the conservatory. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige just laughed, before heading into join them.
Piper leaned on the horn of the car for the third time. "Lets go you three! I can't leave Leo alone with the boys forever, you know." She called out the window of the car to Phoebe, Paige, and Prue. Phoebe insisted that they atleast find something decent for Prue to wear to the mall. While Prue didn't seem to care either way, Paige had double teamed her with Phoebe, outvoting Piper. They had spent the last half hour making sure that they all looked good.
"We're coming!" Paige called out her bedroom window down to Piper. She grabbed Prue's hand and ran out the door and down the stairs.
"Paige! Slow down! You'll tear her arm off." Phoebe said, laughing as she followed them. "See ya Leo!" she called into the living room, where Leo was desperately trying to keep track of two hyper white lighter rugrats.
"Hurry back!" he called back to her, waving to Piper out the window.
Paige climbed in the backseat with Prue, while Phoebe climbed in beside her. Piper eyed her two younger siblings.
"What?" They both asked innocently, at the same time. Piper shook her head.
"Not so easy being outvoted, huh Piper?" Prue asked, mischief on every inch of her face.
"Don't you start siding with them now! Don't forget you're still the responsible one." Piper said back. Prue just folded her arms behind her head and leaned back. Paige and Phoebe smiled.
Twenty minutes later, Phoebe and Paige each had one of Prue's hands and were leading her down the mall. Piper followed behind, just as enthusiastic as they were. None of the four sisters happened to notice the two men who watched them from the second level.
The first looked to be about thirty or so. While the second was no older than twenty. They made a very odd combination. The older one ran his pale hand through sandy brown hair, and smirked at his companion. The younger smiled back, his long black hair pulled back in a horse tail.
"Do you think they know that the mall they love so much will be their grave, Sarton?" The younger asked. His companion shook his head.
"No. They're oblivious that their happiness will end so suddenly." The older man told Ergro. He grinned evilly and looked down at little Prue. "That bitch has eluded us one too many times. And now she and her sisters shall pay." He laughed and turned to Ergro. "You know what to do. Go, set the trap." Sarton stared at him until his face contorted into that of a young teenage boy, the same age as Prue now was. A teenage boy who Prudence Halliwell would know all too well. Sarton laughed. "Excellent likeness, Ergro."
"And you, my lord?" The demon's voice became smoother to fit his now youthful features. Sarton began to change as well. Ergro found himself gazing up at a rough looking man, with glittering eyes. "You had it easy. At least yours was part demon to begin with." Sarton just laughed.
"Does it matter, Ergro? Soon we will have two of the charmed sisters in our clutches, and the other two will have no choice but to follow! Lets go." Both demons walked off in separate directions. Boy, were the charmed ones in for a surprise.
Piper drifted between the racks of clothing. They may have been there to get clothes for Prue, but that didn't mean, she couldn't get something for herself as well. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Prue was alright. The girl was on the opposite end of the store running her eyes over a rack of tops. In truth, she may have been Piper's older sister, but in body, she was her younger sibling. Piper shook thoughts of the past out of her mind and looked back at her own rack.
"Worried about your daughter?" A voice suddenly sprang up behind her. Piper jumped, and then looked at the young sales rep. curiously.
"What?"
"I asked if you were worried about your daughter. It's alright you know. I've got one of my own. She's only four though." The woman continued. Piper couldn't believe what this woman was saying. After all, the woman couldn't have been more than a year younger than Piper herself.
"She's not my daughter." Piper snapped, her brows being knit together. "She's my sister."
The woman blushed. "I'm sorry." And instantly she was gone.
"Prue! Prue, where are you?" Piper called, the girl, seemed to have disappeared. "Great. She's supposed to be the responsible one. Not the one to disappear in a crowded mall. Prue? Paige? Phoebe?" Piper put down the dress she had been admiring, banished the evil thoughts she had toward the clerk out of her mind, and went in search of her sisters. Something didn't feel right. Why did she get the feeling that the sales clerk had only gotten her distracted to split her from her sisters. She ran out of the store, still calling out her sisters names. This was so not good.
"Prue! Phoebe! Paige!"
Prue looked up from the clothing she was looking through. Phoebe and Paige had already managed to get her a pretty good wardrobe, and had disappeared to do a little "shopping" for themselves, telling Piper that the type of "merchandise" they were looking for wouldn't be interesting in a teenager. Prue had just shaken her head to this, and had agreed to stay with Piper. Piper, however, looked like she was about to explode at the sales clerk, and if Piper, Phoebe, and Paige hadn't gotten control back over their powers, who knew what trouble Piper could wind up in. Prue, put down the shirt she had been looking at and took a step toward her younger sister.
"Psst… Prue! Prudence!" A young male voice called out to her. Prue looked around. No one but her sisters and Leo knew her name. She tried to pin point the voice. "Prue!" Prue's head snapped to her right. There, in the rack of skirts was a very familiar teenage boy. Prue's eyes grew wide with surprise, and slight suspicion.
"Andy?" she asked in disbelief, tip toeing over to the rack. The boy nodded. She reached him and put out her hand. She touched his cheek. It felt warm. The last time she felt him, he had been cold, lifeless, dead. A tear fell from her eye. He felt so wonderful to her touch. Andy moved her hand to his lips, and kissed her palm. "How did you get here?" Prue asked, cautiously. Andy shrugged.
"The last thing I remember was that demon, being thrown against the wall, and dieing." He explained to her. Prue nodded, remembering how Phoebe and Piper had told her of her love's death. "And now I'm fourteen again, and so are you. What's going on Prue?"
"I don't know. Well, I know how I got here, but not you Andy. I haven't the slightest clue how you got here." Andy's heart sank. Prue pulled him into an embrace, holding his head against her teenage breasts. "But don't worry Andy. We'll fix this." She held him close and felt him nodding. She closed her eyes and kissed him. It was the moment he had been waiting for. Andy's eyes glowed red, and slowly, he fed a demonic substance into Prue. She felt wozzy. "Andy."
"I missed you, Prue." He answered, pulling her back, and feeding her more of the toxin. Prue was powerless. She slowly collapsed on the ground, hidden by the long skirts on the rack. Andy shimmered out, grinning evilly.
"Prue!"
Prue heard Piper's voice as her mind started to go black. Was that a demon attack? How could she have been so stupid as to think Andy could come back too. Her sisters were in danger. Grave danger. Who would the demons attack next? Her mind raced. They had hit her where she was weakest. Where it would hurt the most. Her deceased lover. Suddenly her eyes flew open as realization hit, but her entire body was numb. Phoebe! They would attack Phoebe, next. "Piper!" Prue tried to call out, but her mouth wouldn't obey. Her eyes began to close again and she was surrounded by total darkness. Her breathing slowed until it was inaudible.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that. I'll update soon, as this story is much shorter than most of my others.
