The Second First Born

N.B.I hope you're in it for the long haul! Please R&R! Also, disclaimer. I don't own Charmed, the show or any of the original characters.

There was a sound of someone clearing their throat over by the doorway. Paige turned around to see Laura leaning against the doorframe. She had that cocky smile on her face again. 'That,' she stated, 'was me, saving your ass.' She walked over to Leo, and helped him up.

Paige gaped, 'That was you?'
Laura laughed as she saw the look of astonishment on her face, 'Don't look so shocked.' Wyatt's force field disappeared, and Piper strained to put him back in his crib. She straightened up. 'He was immune to my powers, whoever the hell he was,' Piper said. She walked over to the sofa, and slowly lowered herself down into it.

Paige glanced at her, 'You okay?'
Piper nodded, 'I'm fine, unlike my son will be when I get my hands on him…' She looked over at Laura. 'You know him better than me. Where d'ya think he would be?'
Laura thought for a moment. 'I have…one idea. But I don't know whether he will be there…'
Paige folded her arms, 'Well, it's worth a try. Where is it?'

Laura kneeled on the floor. 'San Francisco Arbetorum. It was…it's going to be where Chris proposes to Bianca,' she said hesitantly. Piper looked disapproving. 'And you think he'll be there?' She started to walk downstairs.

Paige followed. 'Wow…okay. Back up…again. Bianca? As in…'
Laura jumped in, '…As in deadly assassin…and Piper's future daughter-in-law.' She grinned at Piper. Piper turned around and pulled a face, 'NOT if I have anything to do with it…' Coming down the stairway and into the foyer, Laura looked around for a moment. 'You have no idea how weird it is to be in here, at least without paying admission,' Laura said, craning her neck to look up at the chandeliers.

Paige asked, 'Admission? Actually, I don't want to know,' Paige looked at Laura's hands, and then at Piper, who had sat down in the lounge, 'Did anyone pick up the atheme?' Laura and Piper shook their heads respectively. Leo came downstairs, and held up the small blade, 'Got it.'

She took it from him. 'I'll go check in the book for that demon, see if he has anything to do with Phoebe.' Paige went up the stairs. Leo walked into the living room. He looked at Piper, 'Do you want me to go check the Arbetorum?' Piper smiled up at him, 'If you would…' Leo half-smiled and with a white flash, was gone.

Laura went into the lounge, 'What about me?' Piper examined the teenager's eager face and responded apprehensively. 'I don't know, how old did you say you were?'

Laura looked aghast. 'Seventeen, why? What the hell does that change? You saw me before…or haven't I proven myself yet?'
Piper pulled a face, 'Okay, okay…what do you suggest?'

Paige stood at the bookstand, frantically flicking through the Book.
'Athemes, athemes,' she was muttering. She stopped and studied the atheme for anything on it's shiny surface that could distinguish it from others. She slammed the book closed after another few minutes in temper. Nothing, she thought.
She looked out of the window at the clear, dark blue sky. 'Where are you Phoebe?' she said, aloud.

She walked back over to the book, and opened it up.
A creak made her look up. It was Laura.
'Hi,' Laura said, 'Need any help?'
Paige looked at her, suspiciously, 'It depends on who you are, and what you're doing here?'

Laura smiled, looking, somewhat relieved. 'Ahh, typical Paige.'
Paige stood, unsmiling. Laura caught the look, remembered where she was, and stopped smiling. She cleared her throat, 'Well, what I meant by that, is that...well, you're not as trusting as Piper. Which...uh, is a good thing...' she trailed off. 'Feel free to jump in any time here,' she said.

Paige folded her arms, and was about to say something, when she stopped and pulled a face, 'What do you mean, not as trusting as Piper? I trust people!'

Laura raised an eyebrow at her. Paige stared for a second and then nodded, 'Okay, okay. I grasp your point, but I only...'

She stopped as she saw Laura shaking her head. 'Paige, you don't have to justify yourself to me. I know you.'
Paige raised her hand, 'That's the bit I'm having trouble with. You know me, I don't know you. I think I'm entitled to be a little wary of you.'

Laura nodded, 'I accept that. But, I saved your life. Why would I do that, if I wanted to hurt you?'
Paige said, after a thought, 'Maybe you were doing that to gain our trust, and ...'
Laura added,'...and I'm the servant of evil,' she gave Paige a look. 'You can trust me.'
Paige looked at her, and smiled. She turned back to the book. Laura walked over to the stand, and reached for the atheme.

Paige's hand suddenly snapped over Laura's wrist, 'What are you doing?'
Laura wrenched her arm away, 'I was just going to look at the atheme...' Paige didn't look convinced.
'Hey, what's going on,' Piper said, just entering the room, and seeing a very angry looking Laura and Paige eyeing each other. Wyatt started crying, somewhere downstairs.

Laura turned and looked at Piper, 'Should I...?'
Piper nodded, 'Please...' Laura shot a dirty look at Paige, before turning tail, and walking out of the room.
Piper looked at Paige and sighed, 'What was all that about?' she asked
Paige shook her head as she spoke, 'I don't trust her, Piper. I just don't. It's in my nature to be wary. And,' she added, 'I'm surprised at you. How do know that this girl isn't a demon, you know, undercover?'

Piper, looked at the floor, before answering, 'She can't be...'
Paige demanded, 'How can we tell?'
Piper said, 'Two reasons. One, because I saw how she was with Chris...she loves him. And two...' she trailed off.

Paige folded her arms, expectantly. Piper breathed deeply, before saying, 'Two, because she is the spitting image of Prue.'
Paige's expression softened slightly, and her arms dropped to her sides, 'Oh...'
Piper looked at her, 'You wouldn't understand Paige...'
She turned and walked out.

Paige stood, alone in the attic. The lamplight illuminated emotions across her face. Piper had upset her. She picked up the atheme, and threw it in anger. It struck the wall, and became embedded. She flopped down on to the sofa, and sighed.

The floor was cold. Very cold. The stone rubbed against the side of her face , and Phoebe groaned. She opened her eyes, but all she could see was a dim blur. She tried to move her arms, so that she could rub her eyes, but it was as if she had no control over her body.
Her arms lay limp and lifeless beside her. Her head ached with a dull pain, as if she had been hit. Her face contorted as the dull ache became excruciating, but just for ten seconds or so.

The pain then dimmed to a bearable drone. She felt as though she was dreaming, but she was all too aware that she was awake. She tried to call for Leo, but her voice came out as an inaudible whisper.
She made a noise that was halfway between a sob, and a moan. The last thing she felt was utter dispair and hopelessness, before her conciousness succumbed to darkness, and everything went black...

Leo orbed into the living room, the white lights regrouping into his form. He looked around, but seeing no signs of Piper, Paige or Laura, called, 'Hello?' He waited for a reply, and eventually he heard Piper's distant voice echoing own the stairs. He jogged up the stairway and got to the landing, where Piper met him.

She looked at him questioningly and asked, 'Well?'
Leo shook his head, his face showing a mixture of disappointment and confusion.
Piper closed her eyes and exhaled.
Laura leaned over the edge of Wyatt's playpen and regarded him with a look of interest. 'How is it,' she said, softly, 'that someone like you, could cause so much pain?' Wyatt stared back, his blue eyes framed by a cloud of blonde curls made him look the picture of innocence. Laura noted this, and snorted.

She heard the low drone of a male voice, just outside the door, and she lept up. She ran to the doorway, and looked at Leo. His eyes caught hers, and she could tell that it wasn't good news. 'He wasn't there?' she asked.
'No,' said Leo.
Laura shook her head. 'I don't know where else he would have been…' she said, 'If something's happened to him because of me…'

Piper walked over to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. 'Don't worry. We'll find him, and Phoebe,' she said to her in a reassuring voice.
The floorboards creaked behind them, and they turned, to see Paige coming down the stairwell from the attic. Paige looked disdainfully at Laura, before she caught the look of despondency on all their faces. 'What's the matter? Did something happen to Chris or Phoebe?'

Piper sighed as she said, 'We don't know, anything as a matter of fact. Leo couldn't find Chris.'
Paige nodded as she took this in. 'Well, did you try scrying for him?' Piper turned to Leo. 'Oh god, I can't believe I forgot to do that!'
Paige looked at Piper, bewildered. 'You, forgot to scry?' Paige said. Piper nodded and waved her hand.

'Yeah, yeah, I know. Crap,' Piper said as she walked up the second set of stairs to the attic. Paige watched her go. Laura stood between Paige and Leo, looking awkward. 'Uh, what d'ya want me to do,' she asked.
Paige turned to her. 'You?' she said, not even bothering to hide the disapproval in her voice, 'You could be more vague than you already are being.'
Laura gave a confused laugh, 'Excuse me?'

Paige shot her look, 'I think you should go. I mean, you turn up. Phoebe and Chris go missing. What's with that?'
Laura stared at her before replying, 'Something tells me that you wouldn't believe me even if I told you the truth.' Paige turned her head sharply when she heard this comment. 'Ah ha! So you admit you were lying?'

A grin spread over Laura's face as she turned. Paige heard her mutter, 'Unbelievable…I mean, you save someone's life…' Laura disappeared upstairs, after Piper.
Paige turned back around to Leo. Leo's face was fixed with a look of utter disparagement. Paige sighed when she saw this. 'Why,' she started, 'Do I get the feeling that I am about to be lectured?'

Leo raised his eyebrows, 'What was all that about? I mean I know you have trust issues…'
Paige cut in, 'Why do people keep saying that? I do not have trust issues! I am a very trusting person.'
Leo shook his head, 'Whatever. Look, the point is, I don't think Laura's lying. Piper trusts her.'

Paige held up a hand, 'Yeah, but can we really count Piper. I mean, she has been acting a little hormonal…'
Leo said, 'Yeah, hormonal, but she still has instincts. I know Piper, and she has good instincts.'
Paige put her hands on her hips and looked offended, 'Uh, I also have very good instincts. Remember that little speed bump we hit a couple of years ago. What was his name? Oh yeah, Cole…?'

Leo pulled a face, 'You don't have to get sarcastic. Okay, all I'm saying is that you and Piper have to work together if you want to find Phoebe. Think of it as the Power of Two…'
He walked off in the direction that Piper and Laura took.

Paige was left alone, once again, this time in the empty hallway. She shouted up to Leo, 'There's no such thing…'