Chapter 3: Coping
Two days had passed until Paige was finally released from hospital. The sisters noticed that Paige had been very tired the past few days so they told her she had to stay in bed for as long as the doctor told them was necessary.
The doctor had given Paige options of treatment. Because she was a child, she wanted help from her sisters to make the decision. Prue and Piper made it their mission to look up on all the different types of treatment and which would be best for their baby sister.
Prue sat at the kitchen table searching for information on her laptop. Piper was trying to keep busy, because she knew that if she stopped, her thoughts would go back to her baby sister and how she could lose her.
Phoebe had been unusually quiet ever since the revelation of Paige's illness. Piper's words kept repeating at the back of her mind,
"We have to be strong for Paige. You're her big sister. She needs you right now."
Phoebe's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of small footsteps coming down the stairs. She glanced up from her position on the couch at the sight of her little sister at the foot of the staircase.
"Paige what are you doing out of bed? You heard what the doctor said, bed rest for at least two weeks!" Phoebe said getting up from the couch and walking over to the stairs.
Paige looked at Phoebe in bewilderment. "You sound like Prue and Piper." Smiled the younger sister.
Phoebe couldn't help but grin at her little sister's remark. She wanted to be a better big sister to Paige and Prue and Piper were the perfect role-models.
"Well that's because they're right. You're gonna make yourself sick if you don't rest." Phoebe said with her hands on her hips trying to look superior.
Paige giggled at the sight of her older sister trying to look threatening.
"I can't sleep. Its only 4 in the afternoon and I'm not tired anymore." Paige said pouting slightly.
Piper could hear voices coming from the hallway. 'That better not be Paige' she thought to herself.
"What, what do you think you're doing out of bed missy!" cried Piper as she entered the hallway.
Paige looked a little frightened that Piper was going to yell at her, and Phoebe could sense it.
"She can't sleep." Phoebe said in her little sister's defense.
Piper looked at her baby sister who looked so frightened and so young, it almost brought tears to Piper's eyes, but she quickly pushed them back. She couldn't break down, not in front of Paige.
"Well, why don't we all do something together, something that doesn't involve leaving the house? Any ideas?" Piper said trying to lighten the mood.
Phoebe wracked her brain for something they could all do together. "What about… a sleepover in our room?" squealed Phoebe looking pleased with herself for coming up with the idea.
Paige's face lit up with the thought of spending the whole night with just her sisters.
"Yey! Can I tell Prue?" asked Paige excitedly as she ran into the kitchen and jumped onto her oldest sister's lap.
"Prue guess what? We're all having a sleepover in mine and Phoebe's room tonight!" Paige said with a huge smile on her face.
Prue was about to tell her off for being out of bed, but when she seen the smile on her baby sister's face she didn't want to ruin it.
"Well in that case I better get some movies to watch." Prue said giving her sister a lingering warm hug.
Once everyone had gathered in Phoebe and Paige's room, Prue had came up with a handy spell that enlarged Phoebe's already king-size bed so that all four sisters could fit in it.
They all settled down to watch their favorite movie; Charlie's Angels. There were a few scene remakes played out by Phoebe and Piper. Prue and Paige couldn't help but laugh at their sisters, especially when Phoebe levitated and faked a matrix-style move on Piper who pretended to be hurt.
After the girls had settled down and the movie had finished they all ended up lying in each other's arms and braced each other's company and presence. Piper and Prue lay on the outside with Paige and Phoebe on the inside, all intertwined with each other. Paige was the first to break the silence.
"I love you guys." She said in a small voice.
Prue and Piper shared a look of sadness. Phoebe stared at Paige, she wanted to tell her little sister how much she loved her, but she didn't think it was possible; she loved her baby sister more than anything in the world. More than words could say. So she gave her a small kiss on the forehead and snuggled closer to her small form.
Piper stroked her baby sister's cheek with the utmost love and affection she could, while a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Prue pulled her little sisters in as close as she could. How could she let this happen? She was only five years old for Christ's sake! Silently Prue looked up at the ceiling and said in a barely audible whisper,
"Help us mom." Before looking back at all her beautiful little sisters and joined them in their slumber.
Hours later, the youngest Halliwell wasn't having such a peaceful slumber, she was having a nightmare. Piper, as she was lying next to Paige felt her tossing. Piper instantly tried to wake her little sister.
"Paigey, shh it's alright, come on wake up." Cooed Piper quietly, not wanting to wake Prue or Phoebe.
Paige's teary eyes fluttered open and looked up into the caring eyes of her sister.
"Hey baby what's wrong?" Piper asked her baby sister who was sobbing lightly into her shoulder.
Piper looked down at the little sister and was greeted with watery brown sparkling eyes gazing back at her.
"Did you have a nightmare? Huh is that it?" she asked the tiny form in her arms.
Paige sniffed loudly,
"uh huh" replied the small girl.
Piper pulled her adorable little sister in closer to her embrace.
"You wanna tell me about it ?" Piper asked cautiously.
Paige looked frightened at Piper's question and shook her head franticlly.
"Okay, but you know it helps to tell someone what the dream was about right, then you wont have that dream ever again." Piper said trying to get her little sister to open up.
Paige looked up at Piper and smiled, "Mommy used to tell me that." her smile quickly changed to more sobs.
Piper was a little taken aback by her little sister's comment but continued to try and calm her baby sister down.
"Shh it's okay baby, calm down you're alright. Is that what you're dream was about sweetie? Mom?" Piper asked while rubbing Paige's back soothingly.
Paige's sobbing subsided, she answered Piper's question by nodding her head and sniffing.
Piper's heart sank when she saw the sadness in her baby sister's eyes. Paige was young when their mother died, and no-one had really spoken to her about it, they didnt think she would understand. She knew that she was never coming back and she knew what happened when people die. Along the years Paige had come to understand these things on her own, she didnt need to learn from her sisters. Piper sometimes thought Paige was too young to understand what death was, it wasnt fair.
"I'm scared Piper." whispered Paige in a small voice.
Piper could feel the tears filling in her eyes, her little sister needed her help, but all she could do was lie and say everything would be okay.
"Oh sweetie. It's okay to be afraid. Everybody gets scared. Even the Almighty Prue." Piper said giggling slightly.
Paige's head whipped up in shock to look at Piper.
"She does?" Paige asked wide-eyed.
Piper chuckled slightly at her sister's expression of sheer horror and shock,
"Of course she does silly." Piper said grinning at her little sister.
"Like when?" Paige asked settling back down into Piper's warm embrace.
"Like when Phoebe stays out later than she should, when a certain little sister orbs off somewhere without telling her where she's going" Piper said tickling Paige in the ribcage slightly, causing Paige to giggle, "or when one her sisters gets hurt,or... sick", Piper said the last part quietly.
Paige looked over to Prue who was sleeping quite restlessly.
"Is that my fault?" Paige asked in regards to her eldest sister tossing slightly in her sleep.
Piper looked down at Paige, her heart breaking for her little sister.
"What? Of course its not, don't you ever blame yourself for any of this Paige. Do you hear me?" Piper said trying hard not to burst into tears.
Paige nodded her head slowly. Piper smiled weakly and kissed her sister on the top of her head.
"Now come on, I think you should get some sleep." Piper said smoothing the covers over her little sister.
"I cant. Will you sing to me Piper? Like mommy used to do?" Paige asked looking up at Piper.
Piper smiled, "If it'll put you to sleep, then okay."
Paige lay her head on Piper's cheast and listened to her sister's steady heartbeat while Piper ran her fingers through Paige's soft hair.
Softly, Piper began to sing.
"Baby mine, dont you cry.
Baby mine, dry you're eyes.
Rest you're head close to my heart never to part
Baby of mine.
Little one when you play
Dont you mind what they say.
Let those eyes sparkle and shine never a tear
Baby of mine
If they knew sweet little you,
they'd end up loving you too.
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for the right to hold you.
From you're head, down to you're toe's
You're not much goodness knows
But you're so precious to me, sweet as can be
Baby of mine
All of those people who scold you
What they'd give just for the right to hold you.
From you're head, down to you're toe's
You're not much goodness knows
But you're so precious to me, sweet as can be
Baby of mine
Baby of mine."
Piper looked down to see her baby sister asleep, peacfully in her arms.
She also noticed that both her other sisters had settled down in their sleep and even had a slight smile on their face.
Smiling to herself, the last awake Halliwell drifted off into a peaceful slumber.