Chapter 7:So we meet again..

"Seems about right" was Chris' reply the following morning when Piper told him about Leos disappearing act. " you both reacted in ways that are fitting with your character. You found out I was your son, and tried to force feed me for a week, Leo found out and did a runner, así es la vida and all that."

And that was all he said. As much as Piper tried, Chris refused to speak about it further, so the subject had been dropped momentarily, at leat until Leo next decided to put in an appearance. If however they expected the mood in the halliwell house to become lighter now that everyone's deep dark secrets were out in the open, they were very much mistaken. It was a week later and all was still not well. Chris was pissed at Piper for telling Leo about him. Wyatt was pissed at Chris for placing a crystal cage around his play pen to stop him orbing around the house. Piper was pissed at Leo for abandoning them, and Phoebe was pissed at..well… herself.

"Its not fair" she had moaned that morning at breakfast. " I have the love life of an acrophobic nun!"

"How is that possible?" Piper questioned as she attempted to shovel eggs into Wyatt's mouth. " that guy Lewis asked you out, and what about Aaron from the office?"

" I can't go out with them!" she replied horrified at the thought.

"why not?" Paige asked as she injected herself with some caffeine

" because, I'm not supposed to marry them. I'm supposed to marry Robert Clune, remember?. And I've been doing the maths, if Paloma is born in 2007, I need to meet him ASAP."

"Well, I think that's what you get for meddling in the future" Piper replied absently.

" Oh don't you start, you sound just like Chris, whos already given me the extended disco version of that particular song" Phoebe groaned. " still what am I going to do…."

The upshot of the matter, was that the only member of the family who was not pissed, was Paige, who was actually glad to be sat at her desk in work, as i least she could escape that bad vibes that were floating in the air at the manor.

She shuffled the papers round on her desk, and stood about to make her way to the photocopier when out of the corner of her eye she saw the door to the office open and a someone running towards her.

"PAIGE" the voice cried, as two little arms were wrapped around her waist." I'm so glad you're here!" the voice continued a little muffled, as the speaker's head was buried in Paige's jumper.

Paige looked down to see a little girl with a mop of long dark hair clinging to her. "its okay" she soothed, mentally trying to figure out who on earth this child was, although the voice did sound familiar. She gently pulled the child away from her and nearly did a double take. With dark wavy hair and big brown eyes, pale skin and a slim build the child looked like a mini version of Paige herself.

Throw in a New Kids on the Block T-shirt, some leg-warmers and a pair of Doc Martens and you've got me aged 10 .thought Paige.

"its me" the child said, looking at Paige's' confused expression. "its Jo"

With the hair dye washed out, and the bandages that had been covering her face removed, Jo barely looked like the same little girl that Paige had last seen in hospital.

"Of

course it is!" Paige edged. " I was just a bit spaced out that's all. What's wrong?" Paige noticed Jo's tear stained face.

Before she had chance to reply, Mr Cowan strode over " ah yes Miss Mathews" he boomed. " could I have a word?"

"What's going on?" she asked as her boss pulled her to one side.

" we have a slight problem"

"how slight?"

" Well.. we placed Jo in a temporary foster home for a week, while we tried to track down her uncle"

"And?"

"And her uncle was on patrol in Basra last week when a bomb exploded in the centre of town"

"he's dead?"

" we don't know, he's been reported missing, as they've yet to find a body. So, we made arrangements for Jo to be moved to a more permanent foster home, until we can verify what happened to her uncle. However, the woman she was going to be staying with, rang this morning to say that she has broken her leg, so won't be able to take her for another month, and unfortunately Jo's place at the temporary home has already been reallocated."

"oh"

"indeed. Now Jo seems to think that she's going be out on the streets…which is absolute nonsense" Mr Cowan finished, raising his voice to indicate that Jo had now moved to come and stand with them.

" of course it is" affirmed Paige.

"No it isn't ..no one wants me, I'm going to be all alone again" Jo replied tearfully.

" No you're not, because you can come home with me" The words were out of her mouth before Paige even had time to think about what she was saying.

"really?" Jo's eyes lit up.

"really?" Mr Cowan seemed confused.

"Yes, its only for a few days isn't it? And I've had all the necessary background checks, I'm a social worker after all. " Paige wondered how long her mouth was going to keep working independently from her brain.

"Are you really sure?"Mr Cowan asked incredulously.

"Sure, I'm sure. I mean I need to phone my sister and check but, I'm sure it'll be just…..

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"it is soooo NOT fine" Piper bellowed down the phone. " have you gone completely mad?"

"she's just a little girl" Paige pleaded into the receiver. "its only for a few days."

"look sweetie I know you want to help, but we're not exactly the waltons are we? Jeez the Simpsons

look normal compared to us, all they have to worry about it being yellow.."

"yes, but"

"No, buts Missy" Piper ranted. "we have demons on the loose, an orbing baby, the 22 year old incarnation of my yet- to- be-born son and an angel who is AWOL, how do you expect us to explain away all that.?"

"Look Piper we'll find a way , I've said yes, and she's coming to stay ok?"

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"…….and then she hung up on me. Can you believe it?" Piper finished filling Phoebe in on the events of the day.

Actually yes, Phoebe could believe that Paige had hung up, as being on the receiving end of Piper in bitch mode was not a pleasant experience. However Phoebe knew that it was more than her life was worth to admit that. Instead she settled for a non committing shrug, and was saved from a further answer by the sound of Paige's car pulling into the drive way.

"its alright" Phoebe reasoned " we just tell Paige that this kid can stay for one night, what can happen in one night? They're here now so there's nothing we can do"

"Fine" Piper muttered, sounding anything but. " doesn't mean I have to like it though, if you want me I'll be out back" She grabbed the laundry basket and headed for the washing line.

The front door opened and the sound of voices filled the hall.

"You just go on in and wait in the living room while I fetch your bags from the car" Paige told Jo.

"Okay" she replied nervously.

" Go on it'll be fine" Paige reassured her giving her a little push, before she disappeared back out the front door.

Phoebe sighed and dragged herself off the kitchen stool and slowly made her way toward the living room ready to introduce herself.

" Hi" She said as she rounded the corner "I'm…..Phoebe" she finished.

Oh my God! She thought, as she took note of the little girl. I can't believe this…………..tbc