17-year old Paige is absorbed in life, love, attitude and rebellion, but when normal teenage turmoil is turned upside down by something she can't explain, has she pushed her family too far? All 4 sisters. Paige-centric with Glen/Kyle

Disclaimer: Everything to do with Charmed: Not mine!

A/N: I'm still getting into the Paige/Sisters, Paige/Glen relationships in this chapter – keep with me – its not going to stay this way for long—promise!

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Chapter 2: Closer

The hallway is filled with the sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen. It's so loud that I go and check it out.

There they are, my sisters all sat in a civilised manner around the dining table. Prue and Phoebe are clutching steaming mugs of coffee and Piper, in her typical adventurous style, cradles a glass of water that almost spills over as she shakes with laughter.

"Piper!" Obviously I missed something, because Phoebe looks shocked, her big brown eyes wide. This, combined with the ridiculously high pigtails she's sporting makes her look about five. God what has college done to my sister, she's not a good advert right now, that's for sure, I kind of feel like giggling myself.

Just as I have persuaded myself to go be a sociable sister for once. I take another look at their Hallmark scene, in the empty chair: Phoebe's psychology books are piled under and Prue's handbag, keys and filo-fax sit on the yellowed pages, looks like there's no room in there for Paige.

Am I disappointed? No, it's too cute for words.

Yeah, right.

Anyway, who needs sisters when I have Glen?

---

I'm lost in my favourite song as Phoebe pokes her head round my bedroom door, a stupid grin creeping onto her face. Crap, I must be singing again.

I take them off so I can hear, "Paige, sweetie, dinner is ready, Piper cooked spaghetti, your favourite…"

"Uh huh" I'm not too enthusiastic, since spaghetti and meals in general have mostly been associated with fights with Prue. As always, Piper and Phoebe end up joining her… Well, screw that, I'm too tired to bother.

Oh wait…I've got something to ask her. Better be nice Paige.

"Hey Phoebe, Future Idol are playing at a club downtown next week. Wanna come with me?" It's my favourite band in the whole world. Despite the recently strained sister-ness as much as I hate to admit it, I do kind of miss hanging out with my big sisters, especially Phoebe, the two youngest teaming up to take on the world like old times.

"I'd love too but, I've got heaps of assignments to do, sorry honey, maybe next time."

The rejection flies out her mouth instantly, and it sure stings. Suddenly, forehead screws up in thought and I think she's going to change her mind.

"Paige" She asks looking at me suspiciously, "That gig on a school night?"

"Might be" I grin conspiratorially.

I'm completely surprised when she frowns at me, with more than a little bit of Prue residing in her brown eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't go, Paige, you need to study and if Prue finds…"

"What?" I can't believe I'm hearing this. "You? You think that I shouldn't go to a gig?"

"Not on a school night" she says quietly.

"Hi there stranger, but do you know where my sister is?"

"Paige" Her voice lowers. She's getting mad. But I'm finding it hard to care.

This is not a Phoebe that I know at all, I'm not sure if I want to know her. I've already got Prue here for all the lecturing; Piper for the coddling, what happened to my cool big sister who wanted to hang out? I don't know this girl at all. I put my headphones back on, letting the music fill the loneliness that just washed through me.

"Give it up Paige" I can see Phoebe shouting but it turns to muffled sounds underneath the pounding riffs of my music, "You've gotta lose the attitude" I ignore her.

"Okay, fine…" I lip read that, and she raises her arms in defeat.

Score 1-0 Paige.

She turns her back to flounce out of my room and I finally tear the headphones from my ears hearing the last of her rant "…I'll go eat with my proper sisters"

She didn't just put her hand down my throat and pull my stomach through it.

So why does it feel like it?

---

"First Mom, then Grams…and my Dad, if there was a prize for absence he'd win it! I'm never gonna even get the chance to find out about him, track him down and ask him why he's such a lousy father…Now my sisters hate me too. I know I can be a bitch sometimes…well, a lot lately…but they have their little mature talks, and try to tell me what to do all the time…and its almost always 'get-at-Paige-day'… "

Wow, that was a lot of stuff that I needed to spill. To add insult to injury I can't stop the tears from pouring down my face. Way to be a blubbering mess, Paige.

"I'm sorry" I look up at Glen, into his reassuring blue eyes. I really hate crying, it's so weak.

"It's okay, baby" He says as his arm snakes around my shoulders "It will all be okay, I'm here" I lean into his body and find myself comforted, settling in his warmth. Somehow the tears stop.

"I've got something that will make us feel better" Glen says. From his other side, I hear the clink of glass on the porch step. "Here." He passes me a large bottle, clear liquid swirls enticingly on the inside. It's tempting right now, and it's not like me and Glen haven't passed the time this way before, its just if anyone or specifically my sisters find out about this, it's not gonna make things much better. Wait a minute? Was I just being rational and sensible? That's way too scary…

"Hey, is that my Cutie-P hesitating…" I can't help it I have to roll my eyes.

"Cutie-P?" I laugh, and Glen frowns at me, an adorable wrinkle creeping onto his forehead.

"C'mon baby, where's my adventurous P-girl got to these days? Those sisters are making you all uptight…you gotta loosen up" He unscrews the cap taking a large drink straight from the bottle. "Aah, Pretty Good" He rasps, and then waves the bottle at me.

What the hell. The bottle touches my lips the liquid washes down my throat leaving a delightful burning sensation behind. I guess this night is gonna swirl by after all.

"That's my P-girl" Glen moves closer, taking my hand until, then I taste the spirit on his lips. When I pull away he has a tell-tale smirk on his face, "how's about we get off this porch step, inside to somewhere more comfortable" His eyebrow quirks over his blue irises, he manages to stand up. I grin stupidly as he pulls me up, and we dash hand-in-hand inside the house.

---

My world is spinning for the second time tonight; this time I think it has more to do with the empty bottles of liquid that lay scattered about the room. Tonight did pass by in a whirl of hands, mouths and alcohol. I'm thankful that we managed to be careful, I don't think I could cope with scares of any sort right now…

Things slide out of focus for a second and my stomach flips over itself, rebelling against what I've ingested.

Glen looks all cute wound up in the blankets on the bed, until…crap. On his bedside table, the neon clock says 1am.

"Baby" I try to rouse him, but he's pretty much out for the count, "I've gotta go"

"Huh" He sighs, his eyes flickering half-open.

"I've gotta go, babe…see ya" I leave a kiss on his forehead.

"Stay P…"

"Sorry babe, else I'll face t'sister rap 'less you wanna too?" God, it's so hard not to slur. I can't even think in regular English right now.

"Bye…" He manages, before he falls asleep again. Now I've gotta get back to the Manor, and it looks like I'm sneaking in.

---

There is a god. All the lights are off, Prue, Piper and Phoebe must have all gone to bed. Yes. I won't have to go through the window. Somehow I've managed to sway home safely, with only two close calls with me nearly ending up on my ass. I'm at the last hurdle,Ideserve a gold medal.

The door seems stiffer than usual, and opens louder than I want it to. I let it fall quiet again and it seems there's no-one that heard it. The warm air of the house hits me suddenly and the bile begins to creep back up my throat. I manage to get to the kitchen sink before I empty the contents of my stomach; I'm gonna think about the 'eww' part later.

"Paige?"

Oh my god.

Head full of dizziness I swing round woozily, coughing at the taste in my mouth. I almost stumble. But soon there is an arm around my shoulder and a hand rubbing my back. After I finish barfing a second time I get up the courage to look at the person stood by my side.

It's Piper; Fluffy pyjamas and all, and I am so glad that right now, she doesn't look mad.

"You ok?" She asks her brown eyes full of concern.

"Yea" But I don't feel it.

"C'mon Paige" She says disbelievingly before she wraps her arms around me in a great big hug.I'm standing here swaying, wretchingand probably stinking, she should be so mad…but she's hugging me, warm and snugly all smelling like Piper. With my big sister hugging me I'm at it again, I swear I'm not normally a crier.

"Shh Paigey…what's wrong" She moves us to the chair, grabbing a bucket just in case and sitting me on her knee like when we were little.

"Y…y'you're n..not mad"

"Oh I'm mad alright, I'm just glad that you're safe, even though I'm kinda mad that I didn't know you were gone"

That makes me smile a little. "Be'letter than Pheebs was at that!"

"Don't push it Paigey, look, I'm not gonna shout at you 'cause I know full well that you won't take any notice. And, I'm prepared to keep this between us, but only if I never catch you in this state again…at least until you're past twenty-one, okay."

"Thanks Piper" I've never been so relieved, but know the serious look on Piper's face means no messing.

"I mean it" She warns, "Bed for you Paigey-pie and take that bucket with you!"

"Thanks"

"Love you" She says ruffling my dark hair.

"Love you too"

I'm on a high, a high that has nothing to do with my alcoholic haze. Trouble is I guarantee that it won't last.

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