Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed

Vulnerable Child – Chapter 14

Phoebe and Piper sat silently at home in the solarium. Sitting in silence had become a common activity in the Halliwell house. Phoebe's eyes gazed outside where the rest of the world moved on, ignoring her pain.

"What are you thinking?" asked Piper, looking towards her starry eyed sister.

"I was just thinking how nice it is in here, so warm and peaceful," Piper nodded in agreement, "I was thinking about putting the crib in here sometimes, and maybe a rocking chair for me to sit on. That would be nice, don't you think," Piper quickly jumped out of her chair and walked swiftly towards Phoebe,

"Crib? What do you mean crib? Phoebe?" she blurted out, already knowing what was coming,

"I couldn't do it." Said Phoebe, "You were right… I was in that room and the nurse, she handed me a gown," she paused and smiled, "I remember thinking that it was a horrible colour, all blue grey and lanky looking. After I changed the nurse, she… she did an ultrasound just to check things out, you know," Piper nodded, "I couldn't see anything, to start with I thought maybe there wasn't anything there but then, I heard it," She paused,

"Heard what?" asked Piper, gazing curiously at her sister,

"A little bomp bomp bomp sound, at first I wasn't sure what it was and then she told me… it was the baby's heartbeat. That's when I knew, I knew I couldn't do it." She looked towards Piper, expecting to see a happy face but she was met with a grave expression.

"Phoebe," sighed Piper,

"I thought you'd be happy, you didn't want me to have the abortion,"

"Well…" said Piper, thinking very carefully about her choice of words, "I didn't want you to have it – that's true – but after what you told me, about you and Rick, I understood why you needed it…" she stopped talking seeing the glow fade from Phoebe's face.

"You think I made the wrong choice?" she asked, Piper shrugged. She wanted to reassure Phoebe that she'd done the right thing, to tell her they would cope with this new little baby, but she didn't know if she could. It would be an outright lie, she didn't know how they'd cope, she wasn't sure if they could. She glanced at Phoebe, and saw the despair in her eyes; she could tell that she was wishing she had killed her baby. Piper knew what she had to do,

"No. It was your choice and you went with your heart, we'll cope." So she lied to Phoebe, she lied to protect her and to keep her and her child safe.

"What are we going to tell Grams?" asked Phoebe, Piper shook her head,

"I don't know. But we have to tell her, and soon… we need to prepare for this baby…"

"Yeah only eight months or so left, not that long… better get some things organised,"

"Yeah," said Piper taking Phoebe's hand and squeezing it.

"Come on Patty, you can do it," said Grams, squeezing Patty's hand tightly as she gave it one last push to bring her newest daughter into the world. Patty let out a raging scream, and then sighed. She panted deeply but stopped completely when she heard a small whimpering sound.

"Congratulations… you've just brought your daughter into the world," smiled a nurse, handing Patty the tiny baby. She was wrapped in a towel that seemed entirely too big for her but at the same time fitted her so right. Patty watched the baby squirm around her in her arms, trying to break free from the towel. Patty lifted her hand and gently touched the baby's nose, "Gotcha," she smiled, and carefully took her hand. "Hi there, nice to meet you… thanks for the morning sickness," she joked.

"Oh Patty, she's perfect… and she's charmed,"

"I know, you're my perfect little girl… perfect little Phoebe," she smiled again, it seemed as though she would never stop smiling,

"Phoebe?" questioned Grams,

"Yep, Phoebe…" replied Patty, as she waited for her mothers comment,

"Another 'P', well I guess it's consistent," Patty sighed, and gaped down at Phoebe,

"My precious little Phoebe,"

Grams stared across the kitchen table, her eyes looking empty, as if there was nothing behind them. Phoebe and Piper sat across from her, Phoebe was clutching Piper's hand so tightly Piper winced with pain every now and then. Phoebe had just told Grams that she hadn't went through with the abortion, and was awaiting her reply.

"Well," said Grams after several minutes had passed,

"Well? That's all you can think to say?" Phoebe said without thinking about how it might sound.

"Phoebe, you have just given me a lot of information… I have to think it through,"

"I just need to know if you'll support me with this," sighed Phoebe, "I need my family with me,"

"I know you do, and I will support you no matter what… I just don't know how we're going to deal with this; I just don't know Phoebe,"

"The only thing we have to say right now is that we're going to deal with it," said Piper, "We don't have to worry about how and where and when things are going to happen… we just have to deal with it, and we will." Phoebe and Grams looked towards her,

"Piper, when did you take charge?" asked Grams,

"When you couldn't," replied Piper, she knew that she was being a little cheeky, but right now someone needed to be in control of the situation. Grams was too disappointed although she would never admit to it, and Phoebe was still just a child, Prue didn't have any idea what was happening, so it fell to Piper.