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.

Paige took a step back, sucking in a deep breath and trying to make sense of the disorientation that made her head spin. The white lights had faded and she grabbed hold of Laura for support. Her surroundings came into blurry focus and she couldn't see anything…it was so bright.
'Paige!' a voice shrieked and she felt herself being embraced enthusiastically, more so than she would have preferred.
'Watch out!' she exclaimed, 'I am pretty much blinded here, so whoever the hell is jumping on m…Piper?'

Piper stopped jumping and looked at Paige, 'What is it?'
'Nothing…except the fact I haven't seen you move that fast for about two months…and that's only because I said I'd eaten all the Ben and Jerry's…'
Paige squinted at Piper, 'Could somebody please close the curtains? I can't see a thing.'
Piper raised an eyebrow at Paige, 'Uh, it's dark outside, and there's a little lamp on that table over there, but that's it.'

Paige opened her eyes a little more, 'Gives you an idea of the conditions down there, huh?' she said.
Piper was about to say something until she noticed, 'Uh, Paige…where's Phoebe?'

Phoebe and Laura looked at each other nervously.
'Well…the thing…Phoebe is…' Paige stammered, with the air of a small child under close scrutiny from a stern parent.
'Where's Phoebe?' Piper repeated, her voice quavering slightly.
'Yeah, Paige, where is she?' Laura asked, raising an eyebrow.

Paige turned to Laura, gave her a steely stare and muttered something incoherent to her.
Piper said, 'Paige, I'm going to ask you one last time…where is Phoebe?' Paige noted the tone of her voice and the film of tears that were already clinging to her long eyelashes like dewdrops.
Paige sighed, 'I…we...left her behind…'

Piper's expression contracted and her eyes widened in anger, 'You…you left her behind?' she spluttered.
Paige nodded, 'Piper, before you say anything…you should probably hear what I have to…' Piper interrupted, calmer then before, 'So…you left her behind…and you think that there's a good reason why you did?' She shook her head, 'Well, go on…explain your way out of this one…'

Laura stepped forward, 'Because she's a demon…'
Paige's head snapped around to face Laura, 'Icsnay on the emon day…' she mumbled.

Laura raised a sarcastic eyebrow, 'Oh, okay…Piper, Phoebe's fine. We just figured she could use a vacation! Come on Paige…what the hell else are we supposed to say?'
Paige pointed a finger at Piper, 'She doesn't need the stress…she's pregnant!'

Piper looked at the finger with contempt, 'What do you mean…a demon?'
Paige shook her head, 'She was just kidd..'
Laura shoved Paige out of the way, 'I was not kidding! Her eyes glowed white for god's sake..'

'White?' Piper said weakly. She gasped as she got a remembered white hot eyes burning into her own for mere seconds, she was scrambling backwards…forcing herself not to look back…
She took a couple of deep breaths, her eyes scanning the ground as she tried to calm herself down.
'Piper…?' Paige said.
Piper looked up at her and a tear ran down her face. She gave a small sob, and then collapsed onto the ground.

Leo shot out of his seat and landed beside her, pure emotion apparent in his eyes, 'Piper…' he breathed, as he ran his hand over her ashen face and her trembling lips. Piper's eyes were struggling to stay open, her eyelids flickering with the effort.
Laura said, 'What's wrong with her?'
Paige turned around and utter dislike shot from her eyes, ' What's wrong with her? Stress…that's what's wrong with her! I told you not to…'

Laura shook her head, 'There is no way this is my fault…how was I meant to know that something like this was going to happen?'
Paige spat, 'You don't put pregnant women under strain…because things like this could happen…that's why I was easing her into it…'

Laura shot back, 'Well, I'm sorry, but I haven't actually been around that many pregnant women, okay?'
Paige looked disbelieving, 'You don't even care…you're stood there acting like the picture of innocence…Look what you've done!'

Leo lifted up his head, 'Shut up!' he screamed, his lips trembling just like Piper's, 'Paige, Piper is dangerously ill right now, and you're using your own personal feelings against Laura…'
Paige tried to open her mouth to argue, but Leo said, 'I'm talking!'

Paige went silent and Leo spoke again, 'I can deal with Piper, as long as you two figure out a way to get Phoebe back.'
Laura nodded, tugging at Paige's arm, 'You're right…we have to do something…'
Paige murmured, 'Guilty conscience?'

Laura let out a breath as she backed away from Paige, 'You know what? Bite me…'
She turned and ran through the foyer and shot up the stairs.

Paige turned to Leo, 'I'm sorry, it's just that…'
Leo gently lifted Piper up in his arms, tucking her arms around her lovingly, 'Paige, save it…' he remarked sharply, before orbing out of the room.