Okay, so here in begins chapter nine, and here starts the drama. If there are things you question in this chapter, please just take them as a given and don't tell me that it's 'crap' and 'unbelievable' – for two examples. It's a pretty long chapter and it's pretty angsty. If there are things you don't understand – ask and they shall be explained. Oh, and for the purposes of this story, though Victor did leave when the girls were young, they still have contact with him, but he works and travels a lot.
Chapter Nine: It's my party…
Prue rapped her knuckles lightly on the bathroom door.
"Phoebe, are you okay in there?" she asked.
Her reply came in the form of Phoebe retching and coughing.
"Honey, open the door so I can come in please."
"'Kay."
A few moments later the locked clicked open and Prue pushed it lightly, shutting it behind her. She knelt on the floor next to her sister and pushed Phoebe's damp hair back from her sweaty forehead.
"Phoebe, maybe you should go see a doctor. You've been like this for almost a week," Prue suggested, her brow wrinkled with concern.
The younger sister smiled weakly and shook her head. "No, I'll be fine, really. It's just a virus or something. There's been a bug going round."
"Hmm," mused Prue, looking dubiously at Phoebe. She'd heard nothing of a bug going around. "Well, are you going to be okay for tonight?"
"Paige's birthday dinner? Of course."
"Okay, well go get dressed then."
Prue kissed Phoebe's cheek and left the bathroom. Phoebe stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was slick with sweat and there were bags under her eyes.
"So not an attractive look," she muttered to herself.
In her room, Paige was sitting at her dressing table, running a brush through her dark hair. Funny, she thought, that sixteen didn't really feel any different to fifteen, but still there was a huge deal made about it.
There was a knock on the door and Piper's head came in to view.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure."
"Paigey, you look amazing."
Paige smiled and blushed slightly. She was wearing the black, off the shoulder top that her sisters had clubbed together to buy her and her new red skirt, bought with money from her father. Her eyes were sparkling with happiness.
"Thanks. You too."
Piper had on a pair of bootleg black jeans and a white fitted shirt.
"Leo and Cole are on their way, and Andy and Glenn should be here soon."
Paige nodded. "Okay, I'll be down in a second."
"Good, 'cause we got presents and champagne."
The youngest sister nodded again, grinning this time, as she put on her dangly, spiral earrings; a birthday gift from Kyle.
Piper left the room and met Prue in the hallway.
"I'm worried about Phoebe."
"She still sick?" questioned Piper.
"Yea."
Piper shrugged. "It's probably a virus. Nothing to be done."
"I guess. Is Andy here yet?"
"Nope, Leo and Cole are though."
"What's the deal with this Cole guy?" asked Prue. "I don't think I trust him with Phoebe."
"He seems decent enough," replied Piper. "We can watch him at dinner and I can quiz Leo."
Prue nodded. "Great."
They stopped at the top of the stairs as they saw who was standing at the bottom, talking to their grandmother.
"Dad?"
Victor looked up and smiled at his two eldest daughters.
"Look at you two. God you get more beautiful every day, I swear. And more like your mother."
Prue and Piper rushed down the stairs and wrapped their arms around their father.
"How was Australia?" asked Prue.
"Hot. Very hot. Amazing country though. One day I'll take you and your sisters." Victor looked around him. "Speaking of, where are my other two daughters?"
"Both upstairs getting ready," replied Piper. "Come into the living room."
"Can I offer you a drink Victor?" inquired Penny.
The doorbell rang and Prue rushed towards it, calling, "I'll get it."
She opened the door and both Andy and Glenn were standing there.
"Hi," Prue said, smiling at Andy, as she straightened out her black skirt and pink shirt. "Come in."
"Hey," Piper said to them both. "Come into the living room with us. Leo and Cole are already there."
The boys nodded and went through with Prue and Piper, while Victor hung up their coats under the stairs. There was a clatter of footsteps and Victor smiled again as his second youngest daughter came down, hesitated for a minute when she saw him, and then ran into his arms.
"Daddy, you're here!"
"That I am. How are you Phoebe?"
She smiled widely. "I'm good."
"Good. Dear me, you're getting beautiful."
Phoebe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She was dressed in a beige skirt and a black sweater. "Thank you."
"Let me escort you into the living room. Then I can meet the guys your sisters seem so excited about."
Phoebe led him into the living room.
"Guys, this is our dad, Victor. Dad, this is Andy, Prue's boyfriend. Leo and Glenn, who you already know, and this is my – my Cole."
"Nice to meet you sir," replied Andy and Cole, while Leo and Glenn greeted Victor warmly.
"And there's the birthday girl!" announced Victor as Paige entered the room, smiling widely.
"Daddy!" exclaimed Paige, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly.
"How's my baby girl?"
"I'm great."
"Not such a baby any more. Step back and let me take a look at you."
Paige stepped away from her father, smiling shyly.
"Wow, how did I end up with four gorgeous daughters?"
Paige shrugged. "You married mum."
Victor chuckled and kissed her head.
"Dinner is served," called Penny from the kitchen.
The family was halfway through dinner when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get that," said Penny, "You all stay here."
Penny walked swiftly to the door, anxious to return to her family, but, suddenly, everything seemed to slow down as she opened the door. Standing on the other side was a dishevelled looking man, with greying hair and ice blue eyes.
"Good evening Penny."
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice hard. "Victor!"
Within moments her confused looking son-in-law was standing behind her.
"Penny, what's going on? I-" he stopped. "Why are you here?"
"Please," the man pleaded.
"No!" Victor repeated, his voice getting louder. "Go away and leave us alone!"
His shouts brought Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige into the hallway.
"What's going on?" asked Phoebe.
"And who's he?" continued Paige, looking pointedly at the man.
"Uh, girls, why don't you go back into the-"
"Wait!" exclaimed Piper, interrupting Victor. "I've seen you before. I know I recognise you."
"Yes!" agreed Prue. "In mum's photo albums!"
"Dad, who is he?" repeated Paige.
"Paige, just-" started Penny.
"Paige?" breathed the man. "So, you're Paige. God you're beautiful. So much like your mother."
"Dad," appealed Paige, her voice quavering slightly with fear.
"Sam, just go!" shouted Victor. "Leave my family alone."
"Dad, please explain what's going on?" asked Prue.
Victor turned to Penny, clearly anguished. "They deserve to know."
"Victor, don't," pleaded Penny. "At least, not tonight."
"We want to know now," said Paige.
Victor sighed. "I love you girls, so much, I would do anything for you. You know that, right?"
They nodded mutely.
"Paige, I – this man here is Sam Matthews." Victor looked at his feet. "Your father."
"I – what?" stammered Paige. "No, you're my dad. You're my dad!"
Victor shook his head. "You're mother and Sam, they – and then you were born. Sam left when he found out your mother was pregnant. She wrote him when you were born to tell him about you. But you're my daughter. I love you."
"I – I can't, I – " Paige tried again, before turning and running upstairs.
Prue and Phoebe went to follow her, but Piper held them back.
"No. Let her be. She needs time."
The girls nodded and all three turned to Victor, their faces stricken.
"Go, Sam. Leave. Go home," Victor muttered, not removing his eyes from the three teenage girls in front of him.
"But, I-"
"Now!"
Sam nodded and left, softly shutting the door behind him.
"Did mum…have an affair?" whispered Phoebe, her eyes shining with tears.
Victor shook his head. "No. Not exactly." He sighed again, his face now seemingly aged by ten years. "It's complicated. We were still married and living together but we weren't together. You're mother and Sam – it was a short thing but sometimes…well, sometimes things happen. But I do not want you to think any less of your mother. She was an amazing woman. And, her and Sam, they gave us Paige."
"We know," murmured Prue.
"Come on. Let's go back into the living room," Piper said softly, leading Prue and Phoebe through.
Running his hands through his hair, Victor went upstairs and knocked softly on Paige's door.
"Go away!" came her muffled voice.
"Paige, I just want to-"
"Fuck off!" she screamed, as something thudded against the door.
"Victor, give her some time," said Penny, from the bottom of the stairs. "I'll make some coffee."
In the living room, Prue and Phoebe sat in stunned silence, while Piper recounted what had happened to Andy, Leo, Cole and Glenn.
"I just can't believe it," muttered Phoebe.
Cole wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she leant close to his body.
"How is she?" Prue shrugged, her hand clasped tightly in Andy's. "I don't know. She's shut herself in her room.
"How are you guys?" questioned Leo.
Piper smiled gently. "We're okay."
They looked up as Penny and Victor came in, each carrying a tray with mugs full of coffee on them, and handed them out.
"I'm so sorry," Victor said to his daughters.
Prue shook her head. "You have no need to be sorry. At all."
He smiled and nodded.
"What do we do know?" asked Phoebe.
"I don't know," responded Victor.
"We're still her sisters," remarked Piper. "And she has to know that."
"Of course you're still her sisters," agreed Penny. "We're her family."
"Oh my God, Paige," gasped Phoebe, staring into the doorway.
The others turned to look. Paige was standing there, make-up smeared down her face by her crying, fresh tears still flowing. She held her arms out in front of her. They were dripping in blood.
"It's blood. It's not like your blood though. I don't belong here."
While the others froze, Cole jumped up and rushed to Paige, tearing off his over shirt and wrapping it around her arms.
"Help me. Get some towels. Leo, call your dad. Now!"
The other suddenly sprung into action. Cole sat down and pulled Paige to his chest, applying pressure to her arms.
"What have you done, eh?" he asked softly.
Okay, so this chapter is real long so I've split it into two to make it easier to read. Hence, here ends the first half. The thing with Paige and her arms is totally ripped from Buffy – I know – and Paige hasn't got a self-harm problem, but she's in shock, totally confused and not quite with what she's doing.
Also, the reason Cole helps at the end and no one else is because Cole is completely detached from all family members except Phoebe, so while the others love Paige and are frozen by shock, Cole is more detached and therefore able to help.
The appearance of Sam now and his whereabouts for the past sixteen years will be explained in later chapters.
