Hero's Journey

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I had this chapter written, I just couldn't get around to typing it. I love you lovely reviewers. Enjoy! And please R&R.

When Patty groggily opened her eyes, she had no idea where she was. The ground beneath her was soft and comfortable. She slowly pulled herself in a sitting position and surveyed her surroundings. She was sitting on what appeared to be fluffy white clouds. The sky above her was the clearest of blues. She couldn't see anyone around.

Patty wondered where she was, and more importantly, how she had gotten there. She jumped up when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Patty spun around to face a woman she had never me, but only seen in photographs. Her aunt Prue had died several years before she was born. Prue was looking at her and smiling serenly, wearing a long white dress.

"Aunt P - Prue?" Patty stammered, "Wh – where am I? Am…am I dead?"

Prue looked at her kindly. "You're not dead sweetie. You're just on…a journey of sorts", Prue said softly. She offered a pale slender hand to her niece. Patty took it and stood beside the aunt she never knew.

"The elders sent me to speak with you for a reason", Prue said, beginning to walk along the clouds. Patty had to hurry to keep up with her. Prue continued, "I don't really know what that reason is. Is there anything that you want to talk about?"

Patty hesitated. She thought about her love for magic. She though about her mother, and the distance that was growing between them. She thought about how she despised the thought of a normal life because she was so far from normal. Patty didn't really want to share any of this with her aunt. They had just met and she hadn't shared this with anybody. Nevertheless, she felt it all pouring out.

Prue was a great listener. She let Patty tell her all of her problems. Not once did she interrupt. When Patty was finished, she pulled her niece into a hug. "Did you tell your mother about this?" Prue asked. Patty mutely shook her head. "Phoebe would want to know how you feel, and she'll listen", said Prue.

"It's just so hard", Patty whispered.

"I know", Prue said, "But you have to try." Prue smoothed out Patty's dark brown hair as her mother used to do when she was younger. Patty felt strangely comforted.

"Thanks", the young girl told her deceased aunt.

"I want to show you something", Prue said suddenly. She sat down on the fluffy ground, and Patty followed suit. Prue waved her hand, and a large screen appeared, almost like a television. "I watch sometimes", Prue explained. Patty and Prue watched what their family on earth was doing.

They were all gathered in the living room. Her mom, her aunts Piper and Paige, her uncles Kyle and Leo, Wyatt, Chris, Grace, Penny, little Prue, Sam and even her grandpa were all gathered around an unconscious form in the center of the room. They were gathered around her.

All those with whitelighter blood were trying to heal Patty. The glow coming from their hands was so bright that it was blinding. It was no use. Patty would not wake. Patty saw her mother pacing back and forth, not far from the healers. Phoebe was biting her nails, which was something she only did when she was extremely worried or anxious.

"Why isn't it working?" Phoebe asked anxiously. "She's not…I mean she isn't…" She left the grim sentence unfinished. Everyone knew what she meant.

"She's not dead Phoebe", Leo said gravely. "I don't know what's wrong with her."

Prue waved her arms once again, and the image of their family disappeared. Patty realized that she mattered to each and every one of them. "Thank you Aunt Prue", Patty said solemnly. Both of them now had tears in their eyes. Prue had helped Patty to realize that she had her family's unconditional love, just as they had hers.

"I need to tell you something before you leave", Prue said, her tone becoming serious. "You need to tell your mother this. You won't understand it, but she will. Cole's back, and her found out about the only secret she ever kept.

Patty had no idea what her aunt was talking about. She could tell, however, that whatever it was, it was serious. As far as she could remember, her mother had never mentioned anyone named Cole before. She had also never been able to keep a secret, as far as Patty knew. Patty promised her aunt Prue that she would deliver the message.

Prue was getting a bit teary eyed now. She knew it was time for her niece to go, and she wished they could spend more time together. Prue missed so much since she died. She greatly missed her sisters, and the nieces and nephews she never got to know.

"You have to go now", Prue told Patty. "Tell them I love them and I'm always watching over them."

Patty nodded, too teary eyed up to speak. Prue and the cloud filled atmosphere began to fade.

"Blessed Be", Prue whispered before she disappeared from view.

"Blessed be", said Patty into nothingness. She knew that her aunt could hear her. Prue could always here her.

Patty opened her eyes and saw that she was back in the living room. Her family was still gathered around her. Patty sat up quickly, so quickly that she got a head rush. Her mother ran to her and embraced her tightly.

"What happened Patty?" Phoebe asked quickly.

"I saw aunt Prue", Patty said softly. They all gasped. Piper even began to cry.

"How is she? Did you like her?"

"She was great. And she's fine. She wanted me to tell you guys that she loves you and she's watching over you", Patty said with a smile. Patty didn't really know how to tell them the other thing. Although she didn't understand it, she knew that it was important.

Her mother seemed to notice her internal battle, because she asked, "Patty, what's wrong?"

Patty took a deep breath and decided to tell her. "She also told me to tell you that Cole's back, and he knows about the only secret that you ever kept."

The reaction was not at all what Patty had expected. While the children looked bewildered, all the adults were shocked. Her mother had gotten very pale. "Patty and I need to be alone", Phoebe said. Piper and Paige understood completely. They ushered the children out of the room. Patty could hear her cousins Penny and Prue loudly complaining from the other side of the house.

Patty was utterly bewildered. What could be so important that her mother wanted to have a big talk about. "Maybe you should sit down", Phoebe said hesitantly. Patty sat down on a comfy armchair, and her mother sat across from her.

"You remember how I told you your father's name was Jason Dean?" Phoebe asked.

Patty merely nodded. She had never met her father, as she had been told he died when she was a baby. Because of that, her mother had told her stories about her father Jason for as long as she could remember.

"Well, I lied", Phoebe said softly.

Patty was shocked. Everyone in the world knew that Phoebe Halliwell could not tell a lie to save her life.

Phoebe took a deep breath and said, "Let me tell you about your real father. His name was Cole Turner…"

TBC…