Sorry for the long wait, but here is the next chapter. Thanks so much for reading!
The air is cold and fresh and feels great compared to the stale air inside the hospital. I can't believe I'm finally out. By the time Dr. Taylor came around for my final check up and after all the paper work I'm released just in time to go home and have dinner. My mom and I hop in the cab and make our way towards Prue and Piper's place. I'm completely exhausted from filling out paper work and having never been able to take a nap during the day. As we make our way through the city I look out the window watching holiday shoppers make their way from store to store. The snow from a week ago has partially melted making the patches of snow left look dirty. Before I know it we have pulled up to my sister's building and I'm waiting on the sidewalk as my mom is paying the cab fare. I look down and I see the faded blood stains that were left in the aftermath, and then I look at the building and see the whole in the brick wall. I stare at the hole and the memories of the bullet flying just above my head and the shattered brick falling onto me floods my mind. I completely forgot about that second shot and how close it was to killing me.
Mom: Paige, are you ok honey?... Paige?
Paige: Huh?
Mom: Are you ok?
Paige: Yeah. Ju-Just remembering.
She wraps her arm around my shoulder and guides me through the front door of the building and we make our way on to the elevator.
Paige: I forgot about that last shot. That was really close I heard it zip over my head.
Mom: I know sweetie, but your ok now. It's all over.
We enter the condo and I'm immediately hit with the smell of a wonderful dinner being made in the kitchen. I hear Prue and Phoebe fighting in the living room and it brings back memories of when we all lived together, and the normality of bickering in the house. We hang up our jackets and walk into the condo and see Piper cooking while Prue and Phoebe are playing cards.
Paige: Whatcha playing?
Phoebe: You're back!
Phoebe quickly hops out of her chair and gives me a big hug, practically squeezing the life out of me.
Prue: Back off Phoebes or your going to smother her.
Phoebe: Oh god, I'm sorry. Are you ok?
Paige: Calm down I'm fine.
Prue and Piper both come over to give me a much softer hug and have me sit down on the couch. Everyone sits down in awkward silence trying to think of something to say.
Piper: Dinners almost done, we're having tacos.
Paige: Smells good.
Prue: Want something to drink?
Paige: Water would be great.
She grabs me a bottle of water from the refrigerator and sits down next to me, while Phoebe and my mom both help Piper get everything on serving plates and set the table.
Prue: Bet you're glad to be out there.
Paige: One more day and I might have gone crazy. It's way too boring at hospitals.
Prue: Sorry we couldn't visit more, with being out of town and everything.
Paige: That's ok. How did everything go?
Prue: Pretty well. It was very short, not too many people came and then we went home and started boxing things up. Spent the whole time packing up and visiting lawyers.
Paige: Lawyers?
Prue: Yeah had to go through the will and then start selling the house.
Paige: Sounds like you had a blast back home.
Prue: Well what can I say we left the life of the party back in Chicago.
Paige: Yeah right, Phoebe is the life of the party.
Phoebe: What about me?
Paige: Talking about you and how boring you are at parties.
Phoebe: Whatever, you all know that the party hasn't really started until I arrive. I have to make up for my three boring sisters.
Prue: I can be fun too, you know.
Paige: When were you fun?
Prue: Hey, I had my fun in school. At this one party...
Mom: Girls I don't want to here about your partying and dinner is ready so start serving yourselves.
We pass around the food and quietly eat the wonderful tacos Piper has made.
Paige: This is great Piper, thanks.
Piper: You're welcome. I figured tacos are your favorite and you have been enduring way too much of that nasty hospital food.
Paige: You're telling me, I hope I never see Jell-O again. They serve it with like every meal.
Phoebe: Then you're not going to like dessert tonight.
Paige: That's ok I'm full.
Prue: She's joking, we wouldn't do that to you. Pheebs made cookies.
Piper: Don't worry I watched so they are safe.
Phoebe: Ha-ha.
The rest of the night goes pretty much the same, all of us joking around and acting like nothing ever happened. From the outside we would seem like a very happy family, but from the inside we were all carefully avoiding certain topics. We we play a couple card games and by 11 pm I'm about ready to lay my head on the kitchen table and fall asleep. I stifle a yawn as I fight to keep my heavy eyes open.
Mom: I don't know about you girls but I'm beat, did you figure out sleeping arrangements?
Piper: Pheebs is on the couch, I'm in Prue's room, and you two are sharing my room. Paige your bag is in my room and I washed your clothes, so there all clean.
Paige: Thanks, I'm going to get ready for bed.
I walk in the bedroom, look around and don't immediately see my bag so I sit down on the bed to think where Piper may have put it. I slowly blink my eyes and then lay back on the bed thinking I'll rest for a few minutes and then get ready for bed.
I bolt awake breathing heavily trying to get a sense of my surroundings. All of a sudden arms wrap around me embracing me in a hug.
Mom: Ssh. You're ok, you're ok sweetie.
I take a few stuttering, deep breaths and wipe the tears that were streaming down my face. I lean against my mom's body and concentrate on her heart beat and I slowly start to relax. I'm completely exhausted but I'm too afraid to fall asleep. Even though Victor is dead he is still able to torture me within my dreams. I feel my eyes starting to close so I stand up to get ready for the day.
Mom: Where are you going?
Paige: Take a shower and get dressed.
Mom: It's only 2 am you need more than 3 hours of sleep, lay back down.
Paige: I'm not tired anymore.
Mom: Don't lie to me Paige you were just about to fall asleep before you stood up. Tell me whats wrong so I can help.
Paige: I'm fine, I'll take a nap later if i get tired.
Mom: Well you can't leave the room you'll wake up your sisters so why don't you lay down with me and we'll talk.
I lay back down on the bed and my mom readjust us so that my head is on her shoulder. We are completely silent and I know that she wants me to start the conversation.
Paige: Have you looked for a house around here yet?
Mom: I'm putting in an offer for a place tomorrow. It's a three bedroom place by UIC (A/N University of Illinois Chicago). Good neighborhood and a half-mile from here. The buildings new, has workout facilities, a pool, and there is a nice sitting area on the roof.
Paige: Sounds ... yawn... nice. When will you know you got it.
Mom: Maybe a week later and we could move in probably week after that since I'll won't need to get a loan. Our old house already sold for more than the asking price. When you go to school next week I'm going back to sign all the papers and move everything back here. We should be able to have Christmas in our new place.
It is getting extremely hard to keep my eyes open and I keep feeling my body jerking itself awake.
Mom: Paige its ok if you fall asleep I won't mind, just shut your eyes.
Paige: I don't want to.
Mom: Is it the dreams, sweetie.
Paige: They won't go away. Why won't they go away?
Mom: I don't know, baby. We'll figure it out, but how about you close your eyes and try to sleep. If you start having a nightmare I'll wake you up, ok?
Paige: yawn...ok
I wake up and the room is filled with sunlight and my mom is running her hand through my hair. I take a deep breath and feel completely rejuvenated, after getting some much needed sleep.
Mom: About time you woke up it 9 o'clock. Your sisters wanted to go Christmas shopping today what do you say.
Paige: I'll do anything as long as it doesn't involve a hospital.
Mom: Well go get ready for the day and come to the kitchen for breakfast.
Paige: kay.
I get ready for the day and head into the kitchen. Prue and my mom are both reading the paper in the living room while Phoebe was eating cereal while watching tv, and Piper was no where in sight. I start going through the cabinets in search of a bowl for my cereal when all of a sudden someone's hand touches my shoulder and I jump startled from the new presence in the room.
Piper: Hey missy if you're looking for a bowl its in that cabinet over there.
Paige: Th-thanks.
Piper: What kind of cereal do you want? I just got back from the store and I bought the variety pack, so we have a bit of everything.
Paige: I'll take the co-co krispies, please.
Piper: Here, since when did you like sugary cereal. You always took the nasty kinds like 19.
Paige: Always, just wasn't allowed to take the cereal that you guys might have liked or I would get in trouble. I figured you guys weren't going to eat the healthy cereal so that is what I took.
Piper: Well you just pick the stuff you want from now on and don't worry about whether or not its allowed. So what do you want for Christmas since we're going shopping today.
Paige: Uh...I don't know, anything will be fine.
Piper: You have to give me some ideas or I won't get something you like. I mean I always end up giving you gift certificates and I never know what you get with them.
Paige: Victor usually took the gift certificates, but I did like those. I like books and I need clothes, but not clothes like Phoebe, more like your style.
Piper: Alright I can work with that list. So you ready to go back tomorrow?
Paige: Yep, I feel like I have been studying forever for my finals. I can't wait to just get them over with. I also have other stuff I need to take care of like my job and soccer.
Piper: You aren't suppose to play soccer Paige, the doctor said you couldn't so stuff like that for a couple of months.
Paige: I know Pipe. I'm just going to explain to my team why i can't play and watch our last game.
Piper: That better be all you do.
Paige: So what do you want for Christmas?
Piper: Clothes is always a good choice and some new cd's.
Paige: Well I already owe you a shirt from before. When are we leaving?
Piper: You know I was just kidding about replacing that shirt right? I mean it was just an old, ratty shirt to begin with.
Paige: I know.
Piper: We'll leave once you're done eating. We're going out to the suburbs since the stores are cheaper there.
Paige: kay.
I eat the rest of my cereal and then we head out to the mall. On the way there we tell each other what we would like and my mom tells me and Phoebe that she is getting us winter coats since this will be our first cold winter. Once we are at the mall we split up and start our hunt for the perfect gift. I finish relatively quickly because I don't like shopping so I'm pretty efficient at it. I wander over to a book store buy a drink and sit down and read a book until I'm suppose to meet up with everyone. At noon I head off to the food court area and see the rest of my family seated at a table.
Phoebe: What did you get me?
Prue: Aren't you too old for this Pheebs?
Phoebe: Never, so what did you get me.
I try and think of something she would hate as a gift but seem like I might get for her.
Paige: A book about psychology.
Phoebe: Eww. Take it back and get me something better.
Piper: She's joking, duh.
Mom: Have a seat Paige and eat whatever. We just bought a bunch of different stuff and are sharing.
After we finish lunch we go to a department store to pick out winter coats and then we head back into the city loaded down with our presents. On the drive back into the city we hit rush hour and are practically at a stand still in traffic. The change from laying around all day to shopping all day finally hits me and I start to feel tired. I try to get comfortable in my seat but it is impossible since being the youngest I got stuck with the middle seat in between Piper and Phoebe. Phoebe is already out cold with her head leaning against the window and Piper is just looking out the window.
Paige: Piper, how long do you think it will take us to get back.
Piper: An hour. Looks like we are stuck in some major traffic. Why?
Paige: Just...yawn...curious.
Piper: Tired, huh? Just close your eyes I'll wake you when get home.
Paige: No, I'm fine.
I look over towards Phoebe and try to stifle a yawn hoping Piper won't see. Piper wraps her arm around my shoulder and pulls me into her body and I lay my head on her shoulder. I tell myself that I'll just relax on the ride back and not sleep, but I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know Piper is waking me up.
Piper: Missy were home, time to wake up.
Paige: kay.
I look around and mom s busy trying to wake Phoebe up while Prue pops the trunk and takes out her bags. I get out of the car with Piper and sleepily walk to the back of the car grabbing some of my bags. I go to reach for the bag with Phoebe's and my coats but Piper grabs my arm and drags me over to the elevator.
Piper: They can get the rest besides you can't carry anything in your right hand, its broke remember.
I nod my head and we step in the elevator and head up to Piper's floor. By the time we get to the front door I can tell I'm a little out of breath and it must be noticeable since Piper gives me a look and then sighs in frustration.
Piper: Paige you have to tell us when you start getting tired and to slow down.
Paige: What are you
Piper: Don't play dumb, you are out of breath and I can tell you're in pain. Put your bags down in my room and then go sit on the couch.
I quickly go do as Piper says after hearing the sternness in her voice and see the look on her face that said, 'don't mess with me.' As I'm sitting on the couch the rest of my family walks in and puts there things away. Piper comes into the living room with a glass of water and sits next to me on the couch.
Piper: Here take your pain meds and no arguing about it either.
I can tell she is not kidding so I reluctantly take the pills and glass of water out of her hand and do as she says.
Paige: I hate these, they make me feel all weird and tired.
Piper: Well it will help with the pain make rest. You can't go from laying around the hospital to running around all in one day.
Paige: I fell asleep in the car and its not like shopping is very exerting.
Piper: Yeah well you were out of breath from walking about 200 feet so stop fighting with me on this.
Prue: What are you two fighting about.
Piper: Nothing.
Prue: Well Phoebe is studying for her finals in my room and mom has to go to the realator so it's just the three of us this afternoon.
Piper: You have to study, missy?
Paige: No I'm done studying so we can do whatever.
Prue: Well how about a game of Scrabble.
Piper and Paige: Ok.
The three of us play Scrabble for a bit until Piper kicks our butt by over 100 pts.
Prue: I thought you were suppose to be some sort of genius, squirt.
Paige: She drugged me before the game.
Piper: I'll take any advantage I can get.
Prue: Well lets watch some tv until mom comes back with dinner.
Prue sits on one end of the couch and has me lay my head on her lap so she can run her hand through my hair as we watch tv. After about an hour mom comes in the condo with some Chinese food. All of us sit down and eat dinner quietly thinking about the week ahead. After dinner I go in Piper's room and start packing my stuff up for when I leave tomorrow morning. I get ready for bed and then head back into the living room where everyone else is talking while the tv is on in the background.
Mom: Done packing?
Paige: Yep all set for tomorrow morning, how about you Pheebs?
Phoebe: Yeah I packed before dinner.
Prue: So when are your tests done?
Paige: Wednesday.
Phoebe: Tuesday.
Mom: When are you girls coming back?
Paige: I can't leave until Saturday afternoon so I'll just hop on the train Saturday night and get here Sunday morning.
Phoebe: I'm taking the train on Wednesday afternoon, so I'll be here Wednesday night.
Piper goes into the kitchen for a second an comes back out handing a key to me and one to Phoebe.
Piper: Prue and I have to go back to work tomorrow so that is a key for you in case we aren't at home.
Paige and Phoebe: Thanks.
Mom: I'm going to bed girls I'll see you in the morning.
We all say goodnight to mom and then hang out talking about mundane things until we all go to bed. The next morning I again bolt awake from yet another nightmare and my mom is there to comfort me until I the dregs of the nightmare leave me. Later in the morning Phoebe and I board the train and head back to New York to finish the semester.