Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Charmed
Vulnerable Child – Chapter 3
Phoebe sat curled up in her grandmother's arms, sobbing helplessly. She still hadn't said anything since greeting her with tears. Grams stroked Phoebe's hair comfortingly and waited patiently for her granddaughter to speak, to say anything. She couldn't stand feeling so helpless, knowing that Phoebe was suffering but not knowing why was killing her. Phoebe's tears subsided after a few minutes, she had cried so much already that day before arriving home – there wasn't enough energy left in her to cry. All she wanted to do was fall asleep, but she was too frightened. If she fell asleep her nightmares would be unleashed, at least if she were awake she could stop herself from thinking about things, if she slept she had no control.
"Phoebe, please talk to me, tell me what's wrong," said Grams, trying to hold back tears herself.
"I can't… its too much." Phoebe said, her voice small and shallow from crying, "How could I have been so stupid… why did I trust him?"
"Trust who? Phoebe what's going on? Is this just boy problems or something more serious?" asked Grams, praying deep inside that it was nothing more than boy troubles.
"Boy problems…" started Phoebe, but she continued when she heard Grams sigh with relief, "But their serious,"
"I know they are, Phoebe. What's wrong… does someone you like not like you? Or something along those lines?"
"No," replied Phoebe, she was mildly insulted that her Grams thought so little of her. Mind you she hadn't really given Grams any evidence that she had any substance, she was always talking on the phone to or about boys, always sneaking out and getting grounded.
"Ok, well what's wrong,"
"Never mind," sighed Phoebe, Grams would never believe her story, why would she? Phoebe was always the screw up, always the one that wanted attention and drove Grams crazy.
"Phoebe, just tell me I can help," said Grams, hoping she hadn't made Phoebe close up permanently.
"Why, you won't believe me. I'm just the screw up. I can never do anything right and you know it… you'll just say what everyone else did,"
"No I won't. Wait a second what did everyone else say?"
"They said it was my fault, that I led him on. But I didn't I swear, ok maybe in the beginning I did but he didn't seem like a creep, he seemed nice and sweet. But he wasn't, he just wasn't… and he never cared about me…. No one that care about me would do something like that would they?" Without realising it Phoebe had blurted out things, things she didn't want Grams to hear. What am I saying? I'm not supposed to be telling Grams these things? She's only going to judge me, how could I have been so stupid to tell her these things? No matter how hard she tried Phoebe couldn't stop talking, it was like her tears – she didn't want to cry anymore but she couldn't stop them from falling.
"But maybe, he does care about me and by acting like that and doing those things he was showing how much he really cares. He just doesn't want me to leave him, and I can't leave him because he loves me,"
"Phoebe, stop slow down. How is this guy?" It was at the moment that Phoebe knew she would have to start from the beginning. She just dreaded the idea that she would have to tell her Grams everything she had tried to keep a secret, but it was for the best. Surely Grams would understand, she would understand that Phoebe had to stay with him.