Yay another chapter! Sorry it took a while schools back on- you guys having fun? Cuz im not.
Piper and Paige sat, holding each other in silence, letting the minutes pass by content just spending times with each other.
When Paige finally turned her head and noticed Prue , she gave her a genuine smile. Prue felt her heart flutter with happiness. Paige was finally happy. She smiled back and made her way over to her younger sisters.
She plopped down on the couch next to them and started stroking Paige's head. " Is everything okay now? " She questioned
The two nodded and smiled at each other. It was for the moment at least.
" Okay good." Prue said. " Because now we can have that meeting I was telling you about."
Paige gave Prue a confused look. She hadn't heard about any meeting.
Prue registering Paige's reaction realized she hadn't told Paige about it. " You'll see." was all she said to a scowling Paige.
" Pheebs! Pheebs!" She proceeded to call upstairs. " They made up!"
" 'Kay I'll be down in a minute!" was the response they heard.
" Phoebe's home?" Piper and Paige questioned at the same time.
Prue shrugged. " Guess so. I told her to be ."
Phoebe bounded down the stairs and squeezed onto the couch, next to the others. As she did so, Prue got up and got ready to talk with them.
" Okay guys," She began. " You're probably all wondering why we're here-"
" You bet we are" Paige rudely scoffed, annoyed that she had no prior knowledge to what was going on, but was muffled by Piper's hand covering over her mouth.
" And I'm going to tell you," Prue continued giving Paige a look, " If I don't get interrupted again. So, over the past day or so and even before that when I watched over you, I noticed that , how do I put this nicely... you know what I can't- You guys have major issues."
Piper opened her mouth as if she was going to object but Prue stopped her. " No hear me out, and then you can tell me if you still think I'm wrong. Piper lets start with you. Even though you don't realize it you still have issues accepting Paige and embracing your new role as oldest sister. Pheebs, you are still trying to figure out how to be an older sister in the first place, plus you worry that Piper won't accept Paige and that you won't be able to accept her either and instead of talking to someone about it, you just keep it to yourself. Paige, you don't want to depend on Piper and Phoebe and open up to them like you should, You don't fully trust them either. Am I pretty much on target so far?"
The 3 charmed ones, stared at Prue with their jaws dropped open, shocked at what they learned about each other and also shocked that Prue had just accurately revealed their innermost secrets.
" That's what I thought. The fact that you guys keep this all to yourselves and don't talk with each other or try to work you're issues out , desperately jeapordizes the relationship you have built and the Power of 3. The reason the elders sent me down wasn't really to reconstitute the Power of 3, it was so you guys don't destroy it. So how can we fix it? Well luckily, I have a plan ."
" What should we do? " Phoebe asked quietly shaken up at this realization.
" Well I think part of the reason you guys aren't as close as you could be is because you had separate childhoods. I think if we tried to redo Paige's childhood with you guys in it, she would overcome her issues and you guys would too. It would allow all of you to get as close as I was with you. We just need to agree to do this, no exceptions. So Pipe, Pheebs do you agree to treat Paige as a child and Paige do you agree to act like one?"
Piper and Phoebe nodded, they really liked the idea, it would be fun for them, but Paige not so much. She frowned.
" I don't think so, guys."
" Why Paige?' Prue reasoned "You're basically a four year old anyway, just stop trying to fight it."
Paige sighed. Maybe it would be beneficial. Plus she loved her sisters and if this is what it took to bring them closer then she was game.
" Fine." Paige sighed, and with her agreement she felt a huge wall that was up in her mind go down. Her thoughts started becoming less complex and she felt sort of free. She guessed she had been fighting a complete regression the whole time, and now that she relinquished control it was finally happening. There was nothing she could do about it.
"This is gonna be so cool!" Phoebe cried sweeping Paige into her grasp. " C'mon, I have something to show you!" She continued rushing up the stairs with Paige.
" Don't drop her!" Piper warned making Prue laugh. " What?"
" Nothing, just you're such a worrier."
" Tell that to me next time we hear Phoebe scream and find Paige upstairs with a cracked skull. She's not the most careful girl."
" Yeah, but she'd never let anything happen to Paige, you know that. Speaking of the littlest Halliwell, what do you think of my plan. Genius huh?"
" You never thought lowly of yourslf did ya Prue- but no actually I don't think it was totally genius, She gave in too easily. She's not gonna like the way we'll treat her."
" She won't think much of it to be honest.", Prue retorted. " Now that she's agreed , she's effectively turned herself into a complete four year old. Every emotion she has, and everything that goes on in her head from now on is on a childs level. Don't ask me how, I'm just telling you what the elders told me would happen."
" The elders told you to do this?"
Prue gave Piper a sheepish look and a small smile. " Yeah."
" Liar."
" What? They actually did!"
" No you lied, when you said it was you're plan."
" Shhhhh!" Prue laughed and began to smother Piper with a pillow. Such turned into a full fledged pillow fight.
" Pipe! Pipe! Uncle!' Prue finally laughed. " I have to go shopping. We need things!"
" Like what?"
" Just stuff for Paigey, nothing too much don't worry. If I go now, I can be back before dinnertime."
" Fine go ahead and I won't worry. I'll see you at like 6:00."
" Bye!" Prue called rushing out the door her hair a mess and clothes all wrinkled. Piper cracked up seconds after the door shut. Her sister could be so organized yet so ditzy.
Phoebe had taken Paige upstairs and stopped in front of the door to her room.
" Pheebs what am i doing here? Can't I go play?" Paige whined impatiently
" Hang on. I have a surprise for you."
Paige's eyes lit up at that proposition. She started jumping up and down excitedly. " Tell me! Tell me! What is it!"
" Why don't you see for yourself? Just open the door."
Paige threw the door open and ran inside. She shrieked with glee when she saw what Phoebe had gotten her,. Oh her bed were several packaged Barbie dolls,
sesame street video tapes, and huge packages of reeses peanut butter cups, along with other various toys and stuff.
" I kindof got carried away..but i just wanted to let you know I care." Phoebe explained sheepishly
" Are you kidding this is so great! You're the best!" Paige cried giving Phoebe a huge hug. " Now we have toys to play with!"
" I'm glad you like it." Phoebe laughed amused by her sisters innocence. She was definately acting more like a kid.
" Do Piper and Prue know you got me this stuff?"
" Not yet, but i'm sure they wont be happy when they do." Phoebe murmered
" Why?'
" Because I didn't let them in on my gift idea." Phoebe lied knowing they really would be angry because of she was bribing Paige and spoiling her immensly.
" Oh well." Paige shrugged " Maybe they'll buy me more stuff. Now can you please help me open Shopping Barbie?"
Phoebe smiled at the cuteness of Paige's response and went over to assist her. Her sister was definately an adorable one.
Phoebe played with Paige for hours, cooperatively even though the game Paige was playing was quite dumb and boring. It was tiring keeping her entertained thats for sure. Plus, there was a definate change in Paige's demeanor. It seemed as though the last bit of adult in her had been extinguished and she was now a total and complete kid. Phoebe didn't mind persay, but Paige was more stubborn than ever as a 4 year old. Did it really matter if Barbie wore the pink or purple shirt? Apparantly so.
Phoebe breathed a sigh of relief when Piper announced dinner.
" C'mon honey time for dinner." Phoebe addressed Paige who was intently creating a dialouge between Skier Ken and Barbie.
Paige didn't answer she just kept playing.
" Paigey," Phoebe cajoled ' The barbies will be here when we get back. Now you can get up or do i need to bring Prue up here?"
Paige obliged at the mention of Prues name. Something about the way Phoebe used her as warning told her having Prue force her downstairs would not be a good thing.
When they came downstairs, Paige sat down at her seat and was shocked to find a sippy cup instead of a glass, along with her food cut up into pieces among other things. It didn't really bother her much to be honest.
While her sister's ate Paige really just played with her food. She wasn't hungry in the least and she didn't really want to drink out of a sippy cup. She instead, entertained herself by making a little puddle on the table from the little droplets of juice that dripped from her sippy cup when she tipped it over. It was good fun actually until Piper finally realized what she was doing.
" Paige! Stop that right now!" Piper scolded " What do you think you're doing?"
Paige looked up at Piper eyes wide, and quickly placed down the cup and tried to wipe up the spill with her sleeve.
" Arrg Paige!" Piper sighed aggravated " You don't have to do that! Just eat you're dinner like a good girl okay?"
Paige nodded and started to eat her dinner enthusiastically. She finished almost everything on her plate, except her vegetables before telling Piper she was full, and attempting to leave the table.
" Paige, wait a second. You didn't eat your vegetables."
" Ummm... " Paige said trying to come up with a reasonable excuse. " My imaginary friend told me vegetables were poisonous?"
Phoebe burst out laughing when she heard that. Her sister was fabulously creative.
" Phoebe.'' Prue warned through clenched teeth.
" Now Paige," Piper disciplined " You are not going anywhere until you eat some vegetables and drink a little too, don't think i didn't notice."
Paige pouted. " Vegetables are yucky."
" All you have to do is take two bites. Thats it."
Before the argument could continue, 3 demons shimmered in next to Paige, athames in hand. Piper however was able to blow them up with Prue and Pheebs's assistance, without them ever touching Paige. Nevertheless, when things calmed down, Paige started to bawl out of shock.
Prue lifted her up and cradled her comfortingly. " Don't be scared Paige. We killed them all. They won't attack you anymore."
Paige was inconsolable though and eventually managed to cry herself to sleep. Prue carried her up to bed and tucked her in, stubbing her toe on several barbies while doing so. Prue had no idea where they had came from. It was probably Phoebe's doing. Ah well. If it kept Paige occupied then by all means.
The three remaining halliwells talked and hung out like old times, until they all went off to sleep and the manor was silent once again.