Thanks for your awesometastic reviews! I have the next chapter written on paper but I'm going to stay with my uncle for a while this week and wont have access to my computer so you might be waiting a little longer- but trust me, chapter 28 is well worth the wait!
I have no time to respond to reviews today but really THANK YOU!
This takes place in early July 2008. And it hasn't been proofread so I'm sorry if it sucks…
Chapter27- MJ: Mischief Jenious
"But Mommy!" Melinda complained "Why can't I go stay wiv Aunty Paige?"
"MJ, you should know by know; Aunt Paige has gone to Scotland for a little while."
"Why?" Cooed a small and happy voice. Charlotte had just begun talking and, due to her favourite older sister's influence, had begun her 'why' faze a little too early for Phoebe's liking.
"Because Unkie Mark's Mommy lives dere Tarlie." MJ answered. To a certain extent what MJ had said was true, but it was mainly because Paige needed to grieve over Mark somewhere a little closer to his heart than the Manor. Phoebe couldn't deny that she missed her sister terribly, but she knew Paige's absence was necessary to her healing process. Even half a year after Mark's death Paige was still not herself. Yes, she smiled, made conversation, made sarcastic remarks about her sisters and helped vanquish the odd demon or two, but dealing with her pregnancy without a husband had become stressful to the youngest Charmed One and the chance to go to Scotland- to the farmhouse where Mark had spent his childhood- had been too hard for Paige to turn down.
"What 'bout Daddy? I can stay wiv him at da weekend!"
"Sweetie." Phoebe replied "Your father has a business meeting in Chicago this weekend. And before you ask, yes, Danni and Ben are going with him."
"Well why can't I not go to Auntie Piper's wiv you?"
"Because the baby's due any day now and having you there might stress Auntie Piper out a little."
MJ looked up at her mother and put on her famous pout- something Phoebe had never forgiven Paige for teaching her. She hated it when her 'grandparents' visited. They weren't even her real grandparents, but they insisted that she call them Granny and Granda. Mr and Mrs Dean were about the most old fashioned grandparents you could find…anywhere. Mrs Dean was the epitome of stereotypical old woman. She walked with a cane and never once stopped complaining about some aching bone or another. Her face, hidden under a pair of rather large glasses, was layered in makeup, and her pink lipstick never failed to leave a mark on your cheek. Mr Dean was slightly more bearable and often complained about his wife, but he, if you got on his bad side, was not someone you wanted to mess with. He had been in the army for fifteen years of his life and was a fan of discipline…not something MJ agreed with. But what annoyed the little demon/witch the most was when they pinched your cheeks and called you shnookums, even when you threw fireballs at their china plates...
MJ started sniggering at the memory and it was as if her mother could read her mind when she told her sternly "Melinda-Jayne Halliwell, you do not even think of using your powers when your grandparents are here. Got it?" The Deans had been informed of Phoebe's powers not long after Phoebe and Jason had been married, but still were not fully to terms with it.
"Yes..." MJ replied with a falsely innocent smile, which made her look a lot like her Aunt Paige.
"Promise?" Phoebe persisted. She wanted to look good in front of the Deans at all costs.
"Promise," MJ lied, crossing her fingers behind her back.
"Well I know you'll be good for Granny and Granda won't you Pumpkin?" Phoebe said to her youngest daughter as she placed her into the yellow baby-walker.
Charlotte blinked, smiled and let out a squeal of approval. Even at one and a half she knew the words "Granny and Granda" meant lots of candy and toys.
"Brown nose!" Melinda-Jayne remarked. She wasn't sure what it meant but she knew that her Uncle Mark used to say it to Uncle Leo a lot when he spoke about the elders.
"Phoebe, Honey! My Parents are here!" Jason's voice echoed up the stairs.
"Yippee!" Phoebe said in false celebration. She didn't much like he Deans either. "I'll be down with the girls in a minute!"
Phoebe hastily buttoned her blouse right up (The Deans didn't approve of her ''revealing clothes') and brushed her shoulder length, dark hair one last time. She picked up Charlotte in one arm and her purse in the other. She watched MJ stomp down the stairs, still pouting and Phoebe began to wonder if the Deans had replaced their china...
"Hi!" She greeted the elderly couple when she reached the living room "How are you?"
"Why, we're just grand!" Mary Dean replied, "Come here shnookums!" She held out her arms and took Charlotte away from her mother. "Look what Granny has for you."
Charlotte's eyes lit up at the sight of the chocolate lollipop in her Granny's hand. She tried to reach out for it but before it was within her reach Jason swiped it from his mother's hand.
"Sorry Mom. We don't want her getting cavities." He said and slyly slipped the lollipop into his own back pocket.
Just as Phoebe was about to offer to put the kettle on, a vibrating in her handbag distracted her attention. She reached into the brown, cord bag and lifted out her phone. "Hello?" She answered worriedly, "Leo? Calm down!- What? when? Just now?- " Her eyes lit up and something which almost looked like relief washed over her face. "Well orb over here and get us right now!" The word 'orb' caught the Deans attention. Phoebe bit on her lip and turned away from the elderly couple before lowering her voice to a mere whisper. "Oh but orb into the conservatory- I don't think the Deans are comfortable with magic yet..."Phoebe hung up and grabbed Jason's arm hastily.
"What?" He asked
"Baby's coming!" She exclaimed, and turned to her in laws. "Sorry to cut it short. You know where everything is. We should be back on Sunday night. MJ should be in bed by eight and make sure she behaves. Charlotte's food is in the second cupboard to the left in the kitchen and if you need anything my sister's number is on the fridge. Gotta go!"
"Bye Mommy!" MJ said, pouting as her mother and stepfather left the room, "Bye JayJay!"
"Bye Sweetheart, bye Pumpkin." Phoebe said, kissing her daughters in turn. "Be good!"
Phoebe and Jason headed to the conservatory where Leo stood waiting. The last MJ saw of them was a shining white light coming from under the door.
"Melinda darling? Be an angel and hang up your Granny and Granda's coats." 'Granda' saiid with a smile, avoiding looking at the room where his son and daughter in law had just orbed from.
MJ looked up at her 'grandparents' and smiled innocently, forming a fireball in her hand. I'm not an angel, I'm a demon! she thought with a smirk.
"Ooopsy..." She said as she threw it into the dustbin. This was gonna be fun...
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When Leo, Phoebe and Jason appeared in the Manor Piper was lying on her bed, clutching her stomach, having just come out of a contraction. Prue and Andy stood watching, dumbstruck. Having a baby wasn't meant to be sore- the stork was meant to bring it...
"Jason, take the kids downstairs." Leo said, looking relieved that someone had finally arrived. Apparently he wasn't too keen on delivering a baby by himself.
"Okay. Prue? Andy? Who wants to race me to the tree house?" Jason said. He had learned after only once looking after the kids himself the 'orb racing' was a craze with the Halliwell children
"Me!" They both replied and disappeared in a cloud of orbs. Jason began to run out of the room, knowing he had already lost the race, but he seemed happy that he wouldn't have to deal with a woman in labour.
"He's such a kid!" Phoebe said rolling her eyes. She stood in a daze for a moment as if forgetting why she was actually there before Piper's cry of pain brought her back to reality. She walked over to Piper. "Baby time!"
xxxxx
An hour and a half later Jason had endured fifteen orb races, Prue and Andy taking it in turns to orb him. Although it had been two years since he and Phoebe had married, he was still not used to orbing. Magic he could handle- heck; he'd even mixed his fair share of potions- but orbing had never settled with him. Unfortunately, if he wanted to keep Prue and Andy distracted from their mother giving birth he had to keep them entertained. What Jason did not know, however, is that what he was suffering with orbing was nothing compared to what his parents were dealing with in Pacific heights.
xxxxx
MJ giggled to herself as Eric Dean struggled to put out the fourth fire she had created in the waste bin. Mary Dean was still standing on the couch, afraid that MJ would conjure any more mice to run around under her feet and Charlotte, thoroughly amused by it all, sat in her baby-walker flapping her hands up and down in excitement. Melinda-Jayne had been reeking havok on her 'Granny and Granda' for the past hour and a half and was taking her magic to full advantage.
She stood in the kitchen trying to think up a spell that would move the cookie jar down to her level. The only thing worse than a mischievous MJ would be a mischievous MJ on a sugar high.This was definitely going to be a fun night…
xxxxx
"One big push Piper." Phoebe encouraged her sister, placing her hands on Piper's knees ready to push them back when the baby finally made its grand entrance into the Halliwell family..
"I can't." Piper replied through gritted teeth. Sweat was dripping down her brow rapidly and she had such a tight drip on Leo's hand that it was turning more purple than Phoebe's jumper.
"Yes you can." Leo encouraged. He suddenly realised that they had gone through the same thing when Prue had been born. His thoughts were suddenly turned to Mark and what he would be saying if he had been there. He almost smirked thinking about how drugs would help, but Piper clawing at his arm like a bird of prey turned his attention away from thoughts of his passed on friend. "Come on Sweetie." He coached, grinning to bear the pain his wife was inflicting on him.
Piper let out a blood-curdling scream, which was soon joined by the newest set of lungs in the room. Her tears of pain soon turned into tears of joy as she watched Leo cut the umbilical cord
"It's a girl!" Phoebe said with a huge grin as she handed the little bundle of joy to her mother.
"Hey there baby girl!" Leo cooed. His smile lit up the whole room. Tears were rolling down his cheeks and his whole face was a wash of happy pride. The tiny little girl was much smaller than any of the other Halliwell children had been. She looked her father directly in the eyes and Leo remained in awe. Her eyes were the most beautiful he had ever seen. Her left, shocking green, seemed to look right inside him- almost a symbol of her ability to read thoughts- and her right was the captivating doe brown he saw whenever he looked at Piper. She had a tiny button nose- inherited from her mother no doubt- and the smallest mole above her right eye. Leo was truly mesmerised by the beauty of his youngest daughter. It was clear from the moment she reached out to grab his finger that this little lady would be a daddy's girl.
"Look," Piper said. She was smiling a smile that only a new mother could smile. "She takes after Daddy. She's blonde. We don't have one of those yet..."
At that moment Prue and Andy came running into the room at top speed. Jason entered moments later looking slightly woozy and out of breath. He looked as though he was ready to apologise, but when he saw the tiny baby in Piper's arms his face broke into a huge grin and he reached for Phoebe's hand, and with the other wiped the happy tears from her cheeks. Prue and Andy's eyes lit up at the sight of their little sister. Prue leapt onto the bed with so much energy that she startled Piper. Andy attempted to follow, but struggled to climb up. He gigged cheekily when he orbed but both of his parents were too enticed by their new baby to tell him off.
"She looks like a monkey." He said, peering over Prue's shoulder to take a closer look at his little sister. Everyone started to giggle.
"I think she's real pretty." Prue said. Her smile was almost identical to her mother's. "Daddy?" Prue asked as Leo picked her up "What's she called?"
"Well..." Leo said looking at Piper and she nodded. "Amy Helena Halliwell-Wyatt."
"It's perfect." Piper said.
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eighteen days later. August 2nd 2008
Cole took a seat at the kitchen table and looked up at Leo, who was tickling his tiny daughter with a look of sheer adoration. The ex-demon could not help but smile at his friend. The whitelighter was such a good father. Piper sat next to him with a very angry looking Prue on her knee and a smug looking Andy by her side. Prue's brown eyes were narrowed and she glared at her younger brother. Andy's smirk still did not wipe from his face. MJ stood next to her father, curiously watching her baby cousin get changed and ignoring whatever argument was going on between her other cousins.
"Icky!" She said as Leo moved Amy to the changing mat. "When's Mommy coming?"
"She should be here soon Midget." Cole said, smiling at his daughter, ruffling her hair. He hadn't stopped smiling at his daughter after discovering what had happened with the Deans. He had been thoroughly amused.
"She can take Andy away with her!" Prue said moodily, kicking her legs forward, her pout growing.
"Nu-uh!" The three-year-old little boy exclaimed, "Take away stinky Prue!"
"Stop it you two." Piper said warningly. "And Andy, if you ever TK Prue's dolls onto the roof again I'm going to bind your powers." She looked up at Leo smugly, of course she would never bind any of her children's powers but the threat always seemed to work.
"Sorry." He muttered and scurried over to his new baby sister who was now sitting happily in the baby bouncer. "Hi Amy." He said softly and kissed her on the head. "Your sister is being a stinky witch!"
"Andrew!" his father warned, pointing through the house and Prue smiled, satisfied, as her brother left the room for a timeout. Although he was usually the most angelic of the children, Andrew had definitely inherited his Aunt Prue's temper along with her powers. Sometimes he was so like her it was frightening.
"Cole, could you get that?" Piper asked, as the phone started ringing. She was taking cookies out of the oven and Leo had just gone outside to retrieve Prue's doll from the roof.
"Sure." He replied and walked through to the foyer to answer the call. He smirked. He couldn't believe after all of this time- after trying to kill the charmed ones, after coming incredibly close to killing Mark, after breaking up with Phoebe and after so many heated arguments with Jason- that he was still so welcome in the Halliwell Manor that they trusted him to answer their phone.
Just as he was about to pick up, Phoebe, with her one and a half year old daughter, entered the Manor. Charlotte, inanely babbling to herself began to giggle when she saw him. Cole couldn't deny that Charlotte, despite being Jason's daughter, was a sweetheart. "Hi." He said uncomfortably. Normally he would just drop Melinda-Jayne at the Manor and leave, but today Piper had invited him for lunch and he could hardly refuse. "MJ's waiting in the kitchen."
"And did she tell you about what she did to her grandparents?"
Cole pretended to cough to hide his laughter and replied "Oh yeah- I told her not to use her powers for personal gain anymore..."
"Oh." Phoebe said and almost started to laugh herself. "Melinda-Jayne? I'm coming to find you!" she remarked playfully and tiptoed into the kitchen, allowing her eldest daughter time to hide.
"Hello, Halliwell residence?" Cole eventually answered the phone. Whoever was on the other line must have been very persistent if hey hadn't yet hung up.
"Where could they be?" Phoebe asked, pretending not to notice MJ and Prue hiding under the kitchen table. "Piper, have you seen MJ or Prue?"
"No, I don't know where they are." Piper lied, with a toothy grin.
"Boo!" Both girls yelled, jumping out from their 'hiding place' and both their mothers pretended to jump.
"Where did you come from?" Phoebe asked in mock shock, "Don't tell me you've been hiding?"
"No." Both girls said innocently.
Phoebe placed Charlotte down on the kitchen table and began to babble to her youngest niece. Amy looked thoroughly unamused, but that didn't stop Phoebe from telling her she wanted to 'shmoosh her face'.
"Aren't you just the cutest thing?" She said in a baby voice "Yes you are."
"Aunt Phoebe!" Andy screeched from the hallway and he ran and jumped into his Aunt's arms.
"Hey there big guy!" Phoebe laughed. "How's my favourite nephew today?"
"He's your only nephew, silly!" Prue informed her aunt with a giggle.
"Not any more." Said Cole. He was standing in the doorframe with a beaming smile plastered across his face. They all turned to face him with dazed and confused looks on their faces. He waited for Piper and Phoebe to figure out what he had said but when they both raised enquiring eyebrows he continued, "Baby boy- seven pounds, six ounces. That was Rose Anderson."
"Oh my god!" Piper squealed excitedly. Phoebe began to jump up and down excitedly like a small child at Christmas, but Piper, exhausted from having a two week old, telepathic baby to take care of, did not join in. "How's Paige?"
"Sleeping." Cole replied "But Mrs Anderson wants you to orb over there tonight."
"Aren't you coming?" The eldest Charmed One asked him. She knew how much he cared for Paige and the girls now.
"I'll go another time. I really think she needs her sisters just now."
"Okay!" Replied Phoebe, "But what about the kids?"
"I'm sure Leo and I can handle them." He answered, but seeing the expression on Phoebe's face he quickly added, "And Jason. She thinks that maybe Paige needs you guys there since, well y'know...Mark..."
"Oh." Both of Paige's sisters replied understanding.
"Mommy?" MJ asked in confusion, the cogs in her minds ticking slowly. "Did Aunty Paige have her baby?"
"Yeah sweetie." Phoebe told her with a toothy grin.
"What's she called?" Prue questioned, smiling at the news of her new cousin.
"It was a boy." Piper informed her daughter
"Yes!" Exclaimed Andy, liking the thought of not being the only boy anymore. "What's he called?"
"I don't think he has a name yet." Cole told the room. "I think Paige is letting Laura and Rachael decide."
--------------------------------
An hour later Piper, with her eighteen-day-old daughter sleeping soundly in her pram, and Phoebe sat in the Manor awaiting the arrival of Sam. He appeared at two o'clock on the dot, dressed in a raincoat and holding out an umbrella towards the sisters.
"Why are you wearing that?" Phoebe enquired, "It's August!"
"You forget- we're going to Scotland." Sam said with a grin. He had already been to the small farmhouse where his daughter had been staying but both Paige and the baby had been sleeping. Sam couldn't wait to meet his grandson.
"Oh, yeah- um...just let me go get a coat..."
Piper snorted a laugh as she realised that Phoebe was dressed in a short skirt and blouse. Paige had informed them that Scottish weather was not quite the same as San Francisco, but Phoebe had obviously not been paying the slightest bit of attention.
"Hey there baby girl," Sam cooed at Amy. "She's beautiful Piper. She has your mother's nose."
"Yeah..." Piper said uncomfortably. Although Sam visited on a regular basis since he came into contact with Paige, Piper always felt uncomfortable when he spoke about Patty. She knew that Sam had been her mother's true love but it still made her slightly uncomfortable knowing her mother and father weren't destined to be.
"I'm ready!" Phoebe beamed from the doorway. "Orb me up Sammy..." Piper gave her sister an almost patronising stare. Phoebe sometimes had the strangest sense of humour.
"I hope Leo will be okay...you know how Andy and Prue get..."
"He'll be fine Piper, Now let's go see my grandson!"
With that, Sam took Piper and Phoebe's hands (Piper was holding the pram with her other) and orbed out grinning.
(AN-yes, I know there is a ten-hour time difference between Scotland and SanFran, but SHHH!)
The three adults and tiny baby rematerialised in the kitchen of an old fashioned farmhouse. The wooden floor creaked as they moved but the stonewalls gave the kitchen a homely feel that Piper would have adored in her own kitchen. The mouth-watering smell of a baking cake wafted into the travellers' nostrils and the sound of a boiling kettle also greeted them. Rose Anderson and her son Douglas were sitting at a small circular table deep in conversation about someone named Iain. Piper and Phoebe were sure that Iain was Mark's brother too. Laura was sitting in the corner on a large red rug, surrounded by paper and colouring pencils and Rachael's read hair was only just visible behind the fridge door.
"Greetings from another world." Phoebe said, continuing her theme of bad start trek jokes.
"AUNT PHOEBE!" Laura screamed, her eyes lighting up in joy. She had seen none of her Halliwell family for a month and a half and was apparently overjoyed to see them. Her shouts had caused Amy to wake up and now the curly haired five year old was staring at her newest cousin in awe. She had not yet met Amy and was apparently very taken by her.
"Rachy, come 'ere!"
Both Laura and Rachael gasped and curiously walked towards their baby cousin. Rachael's small hand reached out to touch her youngest cousin and Piper noticed ice chips under her niece's nails. Apparently they had just missed a Rachael temper tantrum. Their first meeting with Amy was cut short by the sound of a screaming baby from somewhere upstairs. But Laura and Rachael did not seem to mind. The thought of their baby brother took their attention form their cousin.
"Laura! You waked up our bruver!" Rachael said hitting Laura on the back with as much force as she could muster.
"Hey!" Laura retaliated, turning and grabbing a handful of Rachael's hair.
"Girls!" Rose said from her seat in the corner "What have I told you about violence? Now go and tell your mummy that your aunties and granddad are here."
Piper Sam and Phoebe watched the two girls toddle towards the stairs hand in hand. They were undoubtedly impressed. Knowing how stubborn their nieces usually were, Rose's ability to stop them arguing seemed almost like a miracle.
"Welcome to the mad house!" Rose said smiling. "Doug will show you where to put your things. This is Doug by the way." The Charmed Ones recognised him vaguely from Paige and Mark's wedding. They gave him polite waves. "We've set up a crib in the spare bedroom for-?"
"Amy." Piper told her smiling. "And thank you."
"Follow me." Said Doug. He had the same muscular build as Mark and had the mysterious blue "Anderson Eyes", but had short spiky ginger hair, the same colour as Rachael's. The complete opposite of Mark's shaggy curls.
He lead them down a broad corridor, which had many family portraits and pictures drawn by children stuck up on the wall. He showed Sam into a small, blue room that consisted of a bed, a set of drawers and a heater. He continued down the corridor and stopped outside a large oak door. He pushed it open with ease and led Phoebe and Piper inside. It was painted cream and terracotta and had a single bed against each wall. Looking out of the widow there was a view of a swing set and a field of sheep- a view which thoroughly amused Phoebe. She had never seen a sheep up close before and now they were a mere hundred feet form her window. A tiny basinet was fitted nicely in between the beds and a huge wardrobe was placed at against the wall nearest the door.
"Sorry you have to share." Doug apologised "It was either this or one of you shared with the girls. Baring in mind you probably couldn't walk for the amount of toys on the floor..." Douglas's rich Scottish accent was much harder to understand than Mark had been, but both of the females went giddy at the sound of it.
"It's perfect, thanks." Phoebe interrupted. She didn't see any need for him to apologise. The room was huge. In fact, the whole house was huge!
"Well, I suppose you want to go meet your nephew?" He asked them with a smile. "And your cousin." He added, making a smooching face towards Amy. Much to Piper's delight Amy smiled and let out an amused squeal. Mark's brother apparently had the same love of kids as he did.
"Yay! Babies!" Phoebe squealed bouncing around in a childish manner. "Lets go!"
"Right this way- God I feel like a tour guide!" When he had said that he had sounded so much like Mark it was unbelievable, but Piper and Phoebe tried to keep their thoughts of their lost brother-in-law to a minimum. With a telepathic baby around you had to try and think happy thoughts…all the time…
The girls once more followed Doug down the corridor. Piper held Amy in her arms and bounced her gently to get her to sleep. They met Sam back at the kitchen where his granddaughters were clobbering him.
"I gots a good name!" Rachael said, looking positively delighted with herself. "Harry!"
"No! That's an icky name! Lets call him Ron!"
The argument continued all the way up the stairs and was ended by a very tired looking Paige, who emerged from a room, wearing an oversized bathrobe and a pair of cotton pyjamas. Bags had already formed under her eyes and her hair was tousled and greasy. It was the first time her sisters had seen her for a while however, so they did not care.
"I told you already I'm not naming him after Harry Potter characters!" Paige said and she beamed a huge smile "They already suggested Hagrid and Sirius!"
Phoebe, Sam and Piper, with her free arm, all hugged Paige tightly. She hugged back with gratitude. She had missed them so much.
"How you felling sweetheart?" Sam asked
"Tired mostly." Paige answered honestly "And happy." She let out a tired yawn before realising that Piper held Amy in her arms. "Oh my god Piper! She is gorgeous!"
Piper handed Amy over to her sister for their first meeting. Paige smiled. The smile brought tears into Piper and Phoebe's eyes. They hadn't seen her smile like that since January.
"Hey Amy." Paige said in a soft whisper. "Do you wanna meet your little cousin?"
Amy let out a squeal, which Paige took as a yes. She handed the baby back to Piper and shuffled quietly into her room. A large double bed, with messed up red sheets was pushed against the far wall and there was a wall of cupboards to the left. The walls, with the exception of the cupboards, were painted dark red, but despite the dark colours, a large window very brightly lighted the room. Underneath the window stood a small, white basinet, which was surrounded by soft toys that Piper and Phoebe recognised belonged to their nieces.
"Hey there baby," Paige said as leant into the bassinet. Piper and Phoebe found themselves holding their breath. This tiny baby was prophesized to be the most powerful of its kind. It had vanquished Decron from inside the womb. It was hard to believe that the tiny wriggling infant, which Paige now held in her hands, held so much power. His head held a mass of dark hair- hair that would undoubtedly turn into curls- and his tiny hands clung tightly to Paige's. His nose appeared to be the only one of his features that he had not inherited from his father. Even at a few hours old he seemed to have Mark's sturdy jaw. And, of course, he had hi father's eyes. Eyes you could get lost in for hours.
The small baby continued to wriggle in his green blankets as Paige passed him to her father. Sam's eyes filled with tears of joy as he got a look at his grandson. Paige had been so introverted for the past eight months and now, she seemed to be almost back to normal. "Who's a big guy?" Sam smiled. The little boy waved his arms aimlessly, innocence radiated from him as he gave a tiny cough. Sam could not believe that this baby was so powerful, He seemed so small- so blameless.
It was not long before the happy aunties were ogling of the surprisingly calm baby. ""Hey there baby." Phoebe said, puckering her lips. He just responded with a yawn.
"Y'see Phoebs! You're boring him already!" Piper said with a smirk. "Let Auntie Piper hold him."
Phoebe and Piper 'swapped babies' and each made an identical 'you're so cute' face. The little boy took an immediate liking to his Aunt Piper, reaching out and gabbing her finger excitedly. Piper's grin matched Paige's. "Does he have a name yet?" The eldest Charmed One asked her 'baby' sister.
"Not yet. I have a few in mind though." Paige smiled towards her son and averted her gaze towards her daughters.
"What about-" Laura started.
"No Harry Potter characters." Paige told them, cocking a brow with a smirk.
"Oh…okay." Laura sighed. "What do you think Mommy?"
"Well…" Paige hesitated. She locked eyes with her sisters and began to pick at her cuticles nervously. "I was thinking…maybe…Warren…"
"I likes it!" Rachael announced with a giggled.
"I love it!" Piper and Phoebe agreed in unison. Paige smiled.
"I've been thinking." The youngest Charmed one began. "These past eight years have been the best of my life. I never thought that in a million years I'd have sisters, especially ones as great as you." She looked towards the floor bashfully. "And I figured that I may never have even met you if it hadn't been for Melinda Warren…what better way to thank her than to name my son after her…"
"It's perfect Paige," Piper told her sister with tears glistening her eyes. Seven months ago Paige had been on the bridge of chronic depression, but she had pulled through.
"And," Paige continued, but turned towards her father. "I want to make one of his middle names Samuel."
Pride shone in Sam's eyes as he wrapped his arm around Paige's waist and planted a fatherly kiss on her hair. "It would be an honour." He smiled.
"What about the second middle name?" Phoebe asked, though the answer was clearly obvious.
"Mark." Paige replied and it sounded as if a lump had formed in her throat. "Warren Samuel Mark Anderson…"
Paige watched her sisters and father play with the girls and she hugged her son close. As happy as she was to have a son, she still couldn't help but to think of Mark. He had always wanted a son and now that he had one he wasn't here to share it. She felt her heart shatter as a sudden jolt of realisation hit her- Warren had no father. Paige knew her sisters, their husbands and her father would be there to help her through it, but bringing up three children alone was something Paige was scared of. Her head filled with the thoughts that she was sure she had rid herself of. Mark should never have died-It should have been her.
She stared around the room, which she and Mark had shared on many occasions. She could almost smell his smell of tobacco mixed with oranges and she missed him now more than ever. Her son, so small and so innocent, looked up at her with his father's eyes and she couldn't hold it together anymore.
"I'm so sorry," She whispered to him and she placed him in his basinet before collapsing onto the bed with tears forming in her eyes. Using all of her willpower she managed to stop them falling, but her sisters noticed.
Piper and Phoebe did not need to ask what was wrong with their sister to know. They looked at their nieces, who looked slightly confused as to why their mother had gone through such a sudden change of mood.
"Come on girls." Sam said, sensing that the sisters needed a moment. "Lets go watch Harry Potter."
Laura and Rachael reluctantly left their mother and Sam took Amy from Piper. "Look after her." He whispered, motioning to Paige. "I'll take the girls downstairs."
Piper and Phoebe looked from each other to their sister and went to hug her. Paige brushed her tears away and accepted her sisters' hugs.
"Sorry." She said with a sniff and rolling her eyes at her own ridiculousness.
"It's okay honey, we know." Piper soothed, kissing Paige's head.
"It's just…I wish he had been here to see him..." Shrugging off her sisters' hugs she walked over to the basinet and lowered her face to meet Warren's. "Your Daddy loves you." She told him with a bittersweet smile.
AN- Yay for babies! Lol. I wanted to include more of MJ's mischief in this chapter but I thought of a perfect place to put it in later chapters so be patient. The Deans will return… Right, I'm sorry to say that the next chapter might take a while longer. I'm going to stay with my Uncle for three days this week, and then the new Harry Potter book comes out! YAY! Dances But I PROMISE Chapter 28 is well worth the wait.
Next Chapter- 'Let's do the Time Warp…again'- Piper centred. Piper and Phoebe cast a spell to help them get to know their sister a little better…but when do spells ever go right for the Halliwells? Piper finds herself in a place she never thought she'd go again, and comes face to face with…let's just say a few familiar faces…
Right, I want to do some recommendations of fics which I think are definitely worth reading so:
Secrets and Whitelighters by Money Makes Me Smile
Simply Charmed, Being Charmed and Charmtopia by Prince Halliwell
Broken Eternity, Heaven's a Lie and Sugar Sensitive by BlueOrbs998
Born Like This by .elementbabe.
Even though I'm only halfway through, A power divided (and I haven't read it yet, but I'm sure it's as good as the other- United as Three) by RJF
And there are too many fics by her to recommend but anything by powerof4 is definitely worth reading!
Actions have consequences by Charmed1s-Halliwells
Eternally Charmed (and prequels) by Peanut2lb
Every Halliwell Counts (And prequels) by Princess Pinky
Spirits of the Sisterhood by RED5
Legacy: Part one by Ryeloza
Heaven knows I'm miserable now by Leigh1986