Chapter 10: Blind

Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of the characters on the show

Hospital

Paige began to panic as the realization set in that she couldn't see. She could hear her sisters, but she couldn't see them. She felt herself begining to hyperventilate.

"Paige, it's going to be okay, just try to stay calm," Phoebe soothed. It was always like Phoebe to try to calm Paige down.

"The doctors will be here in a minute and they will figure out what is wrong," Piper said.

"What's going on with me?" Paige asked. She was desperately trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Honey, listen to me," Piper said, "everything is going to be okay. I'm sure you are just having a hard time adjusting to the light or something."

As Piper and Phoebe were trying to calm an anxious Paige, two doctors came running in the room. "Miss Matthews," one spoke, "how are you feeling?"

"I can't see anything," Paige tried to explain.

The doctors began shining lights in Paige's eyes and asking her if she could see anything. Every time they asked, she replied that she could not see anything. As the doctors finished their examination, Piper, Phoebe, Leo, and Jason, surrounded Paige and awaited the doctors diagnosis. The female doctor that had brought them to Paige's room was the first to speak.

"Paige's loss of vision is most likely the result of the stroke she suffered during her operation," she explained.

"What operation?" Paige asked. She was unaware that she had undergone surgery.

"You had significant internal bleeding when you arrived and we had to do emergency surgery," the doctor said. "During the operation you suffered a stroke. We need to do more tests, but we are assuming that during the stroke your vision was affected."

"Will it come back?" Paige asked.

"We won't know for sure until we run some tests. I would like to take you down for a CT scan as soon as possible," the doctor said.

"Lets go right now," Paige said. She wanted to get the tests done as soon as possible because she needed her vision back.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. You just regained consciousness, we should watch you for a while," the doctor began.

"Please doctor," Piper stepped in. "My sister needs to understand what is going on with her." Paige was thankful that Piper intervened. She had a way of getting people to do what she wanted.

Eventually the doctor agreed to take Paige for the test immediately. As they were wheeling Paige out of the room, she closed her eyes. What was going on? Then she remembered her vision quest. Everyone was telling her that things would be different when she returned and that she shouldn't be afraid to lean on people. Is this what they were talking about? Would she be blind for the rest of her life? No, she didn't even want to think about it. There had to be some way to correct her vision. How could they expect her to go on living without her sight? She didn't know that she could go on without it.

Waiting Room

"Piper, why don't you go home and get some rest," Leo urged. He could tell Piper was tired.

"No, I can't leave now. I have to be here when Paige comes back.

"The doctors said they wanted to run a few tests on her so she would be gone for at least two hours. If anything changes I can always orb home and have you back here in a matter of seconds."

"Leo, I can't leave her," Piper said again. "She needs to know that we are right here for her."

"Okay," he agreed. It was better to let Piper have her way in situations like this one. "If you're not going to leave, at least sit down," he said.

Piper didn't argue with this, as she was extremely tired. She and Leo sat on a couch and he began massaging her shoulders. He knew exactly how to relax her. He always had.

"Paige can't be blind for the rest of her life," Piper blurted out.

Leo sighed, "We don't know anything."

"You have to try to heal her."

"Piper I already tried once. It didn't work," Leo reminded her.

"No, you tried to make her regain consciousness. You have to try to heal her eyesight."

"I will try, but there are no guarantees," Leo said.

"When you were an Avatar you seemed to be able to do anything," Piper said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Leo asked.

"I saw you do amazing things when you were an Avatar. You could heal just about anything. Now that you've gone back to just being and Elder, or whatever you are, nothing is guaranteed."

"Honey, I know things seem horrible right now, but I promise you I will do everything in power to make things right again."

"How Leo?" Piper questioned. "How is our world ever going to be okay again?"

"Paige is strong, and the bond between the three of you will be enough to pull her through this," Leo said.

"I'm not just talking about Paige," Piper said, looking to the floor. "What happens with us, with our family. The Avatars promised us this wonderful life and now look at it. Not only is Paige hurt, but our family is in jeopardy."

"Piper I promis you our family will be okay," Leo said.

"You can't promise anything," Piper said. "The Elders could decide to clip your wings and then where does that leave us? I don't want to lose you as a husband, but more importantly, I don't want our boys to lose you as a father."

"Piper, look at me. There is nothing the Elders could say or do that would make me leave you or our boys. Wyatt and Chris will always have their father and you will always have your husband. I promise you right here, right now, that I will be with you forever. I love you. You and the boys are my life and nothing will EVER take me away from you."

Piper nodded. She hoped Leo was right, but she had her doubts. She knew the Elders were capable of anything. But in that moment she was far too tired to argue with Leo and instead she let him ebrace her and together they fell asleep while awating the fate of Paige.

Cafeteria

Phoebe and Jason decided to get a cup of coffee while they waited to hear about Paige. They had a lot of catching up to do.

"So what have you been up to in Hong Kong?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, you know, typical work things. The paper keeps me really busy. How about you, what have you been up to here?"

Phoebe laughed, "Probably the exact same thing I was doing before you left. The paper actually keeps me pretty busy as well. And I guess I don't have to keep this a secret from you anymore, so I can tell you that vanquishing demons actually takes up a lot of my time too."

"I can only imagine," Jason said with a smile. "I have to confess something. I am still having a hard time wrapping my brain around the whole witch thing. When did you become one?"

"Well I've always been part witch, but it wasn't until seven years ago that I learned I was a Charmed One."

"So you, Piper, and Paige all found out at the same time?" he asked.

"Piper and I did. At the time we didn't know Paige. Our oldest sister Prue was alive then. I don' t think I've ever told you about her have I?"

"No. What happned to her?"

Phoebe looked down. Sometimes it was still hard for her to talk about Prue's death, but Jason should know. "She was killed by a demon. Shortly after was when we found Paige. Before that, we had no idea we even had another sister."

"Wow, that must have been tough for all of you. Paige probably felt awkward at first."

"We all did. But we got through it and Paige ended up being the best thing that has ever happened to this family. That is why she has to be okay."

"She will be," Jason reassured her. "In the meantime, I am just so glad that I am back here with you. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed your company." He leaned across the table and gave Phoebe a quick kiss. Phoebe had also forgotten how much she had missed Jason. It felt right to be with him. For the first time in a while, she felt herself believing that love was something real.

Paige's Room

The doctor and nurses wheeled Paige into her room and helped her into bed. Paige stared blankly ahead. She still had not regained any of her eyesight.

"Doctor," she said, "am I going to recover?"

The doctor sighed. "Paige, in my profession I have learned that anything is possible."

"Please," Paige said, "don't sugar coat this. Just tell me if you think my eyesight will return."

"The tests show that there is a small chance it could be temporary, but in my medical opinion, it does not look promising." The doctor squeezed Paige's hand. She hated delivering news like that.

Paige thanked her for her honesty and then asked to be alone. When the doctor was gone she layed there and cried. What was she going to do? Was this life worth living? First she lost Kyle and now her sight. But what Paige didn't know, was that Kyle was out there and he was watching her, determined to get back to her.

A/N: Okay, that was really long-winded I know! More Kyle in the next chapter I promise. Thanks again for the reviews, Ya'll have been so kind...keep em coming!