Chapter 6Acceptance

Leo stood there watching the girls. He had just explained to them that the girl sitting at the table was more than just an innocent for them to protect. She was in fact their sister. Half sister, but sister nonetheless. Paige was actually the daughter of Patty Halliwell and her white lighter, Sam. He stood there in silence waiting for one of them to speak. To his surprise it wasn't Prue who broke the silence.

"So, you're trying to tell me that I'm a witch?" Paige asked, her voice heavy with concern.

"Yes. But more than that, you're also half white lighter."

"White what?" Paige wasn't buying this.

"White lighter. You have the ability to orb yourself as well as other objects." Leo offered her with a smile.

Paige would have been just fine believing that these people thought they were witches. She knew she had seen something unreal in the alley, but then again she hadn't really thought that much about it. The only reason she had accepted Phoebe's dinner invitation was because she was hoping to help Piper, not to find out that she was a freak.

"So, she's our sister?" Phoebe asked.

"That's right."

"Look, I don't know exactly what you people are trying to do here, but I'm not falling for it. Don't get me wrong, its some pretty cool tricks, but I think you all may need some kind of help." Paige stood up and started out the door.

"You gotta stop her, she's in danger." Leo looked to Prue.

"Wait. Paige!" Prue shouted out. "We didn't know about any of this."

Paige continued to walk. She wasn't interested in the crazy ramblings anymore.

"You have powers too." Leo called out behind her. This made Paige stop in her tracks.

"Powers?"

"Try it. See that soda over there?" Leo pointed to the table. "Concentrate on it, call for it."

"If I call for it, will you let me leave when you see that nothing happens?"

"I promise." Leo gestured for her try.

"Ok. But there's now way that I can say soda ….." Paige's jaw dropped as she watched the can disappear from the table in a flash of orbs and land in her hand. She was so surprised that she dropped the can.

"Ahh!" Piper reached her hands out to catch it, but instead watched as the can stopped in mid air just inches above the ground.

"Cool." Phoebe loved that power. It was just too awesome not to.

"I can't deal with this right now." Paige turned to leave. She had had enough.

"Paige. Can we at least talk about it?" Prue couldn't just let her leave. Especially if this girl was really there sister.

"Just give me some time. This is a lot to process." Paige put on her jacket and walked out the door.

"That went well." Piper said sarcastically.

Prue turned to Leo. "She's really our sister? How come we didn't know about this?"

"I didn't know about it till earlier. The elders summoned me just a while ago to tell me. They fear that Paige is in danger." Leo looked sheepishly down at the floor.

"Well, I know someone who should have told us long before this." Prue turned and headed for the attic. Phoebe followed closely behind her.

"You coming?" Piper turned to Leo.

"I think I'll sit this one out. We still need to talk though, ok?"

"Sure." Piper turned and followed after her sisters to the attic.

Leo waited until he was sure Piper couldn't see him, then orbed out. He had to try and talk to Paige. He knew she was in danger, now more than ever.

He caught up with Paige just as she was closing the door to her apartment.

"Paige." Leo whispered, hoping not to scare her.

"Ahhhh!" She screamed, orbing from the doorway the reappearing further in the room close to her bed.

"Don't do that." She was still trying to catch her breath. "What do you want?"

"I'm here to talk to you, that's all." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry I scared you."

"Its ok. But really, there's nothing to talk about. I'm a freak. Just toss in the pointed hat and a broom and I could join Harry at Hog warts." She plopped down on her bed.

Leo had to hide a smile as he tried to collect his thoughts. "You aren't a freak. You're a witch. A good one too."

"Leo, I don't want to be a witch. I was happy just being nobody. I'm not saying I don't have a life, I do. Its just this is too much to take in."

"I know it is, but you and you're sisters have amazing gifts. You are destined to do great things. And the best part of it all, you're not alone anymore." Leo had sensed that feeling from her earlier when she was at the manor. He knew how she really felt inside.

"Don't get me wrong, the sister part sounds cool, but a witch? I can't do it. I'm sorry." She turned her head away from him.

"Paige, you have a choice. You can stay here and continue to help people as a social worker like you always have, or, you can go back to the manor and be a part of the family you have always wanted. You can still help people, nothing is going to change that. You have sisters now, sisters who are truly amazing. The four of you possess the greatest power that good magic has ever known." He could see that he was getting through to her.

"I saw something in here that I think could help us." Prue opened the book. "Ok, here's everything we need."

Within minutes they had six candles set out in the middle of the floor. "You guys ready?" Phoebe looked at her sisters. She couldn't believe they were fixing to see her again. With a nod they all began to chant.

Here these words, hear my cry

Spirit from the other side

Come to me I summon thee

Cross now the great divide

They stood amazed as golden lights fluttered in the confines of the candles. Before them a figure appeared. A figure they had wanted to see for so long now.

"Mom." Piper whispered as her mother materialized in front of her.

"My girls." Patty stepped out of the circle arms outstretched. To the girls surprise their mom took on a non-transparent form.

"How'd you do that?" Prue asked as she stepped back in shock.

"I have my secrets as well." Patty Halliwell stepped closer and took all three of her daughters in a tight hug.

"Speaking of secrets, is there anything you'd like to tell us?" Piper asked, pulling out of her mother's embrace. She didn't want to, she had wanted to see her mom for so long now. She had wanted so bad to talk to her about everything that had happened. But, she knew now wasn't the time.

"I know you three are upset with me. I don't blame you. I have been watching and I see that you have found out about Paige."

"Why couldn't you tell us? This is really something we should have known." Prue tried to sound sincere, but her words came out a little harsher than she had expected.

"I was trying to protect Paige. Sam and I were never supposed to have been together. It was forbidden. You three are truly beautiful." She looked each girl up and down.

"So is Paige mom." Piper spoke up now.

"Is she here?"

The sisters looked at each other. They didn't know how to tell her that she wasn't. Just as Phoebe started to answer her she heard the attic door open.

"I'm here." Paige walked closer to the four women standing in the attic.

"What changed your mind?" Piper asked. She looked over to the doorway and saw Leo standing there with a slight grin on his face. She knew the answer to her question then.

Patty stood there in awe of her youngest daughter. She hadn't gotten to watch over her as much for fear the Elders would find out. She walked over and wrapped her arms around her. She hugged her so tight Paige thought for a moment she would never let go.

"You're my….mom?" Paige asked as she pulled out of the embrace.

Patty nodded her head.

"Why did you give me up?" Paige was trying to fight back the tears she could feel stinging her eyes.

"I gave you up to protect you. White lighters and witches are forbidden from falling in love. If the Elders had found out about you, they may have never let you live. I'd rather loose you to another family than loose you forever."

Paige stood there for a moment in silence, the words were starting to sink in just as the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Leo turned and started back down the stairs.

"Mom, how do we do this, the whole witch thing?" Prue asked. She knew her mom had to know the answer.

Patty took Paige by the hand and walked with her to the others. "There is no way to explain that. This is you're destiny, in time you will come to master your powers. I can't give you all the answers, but I can give you some advice." She motioned for them to sit on the couch. "Being a witch is in our blood, further back than any of you know. You're lives will change now, mostly for the better. It's your responsibility to pick up where Grams and I left off."

"How do we…." Phoebe was cut off.

"You'll know. You all will. The most important part to your powers though, is that you are sisters before anything else. All four of you." She looked at Paige on that last part. "As long as you keep the bond you all share as sisters, you will always possess the power and the heart to do what's right." She kissed each girl on the forehead before walking back over to the circle that was still lit. Tears had now become clearly visible in her soft brown eyes. "Stay safe girls. Blessed be." She bowed her head and disappeared.

The silence that filled the room was interrupted by Leo coming up the stairs. "That was Andy." He said as he entered the room.

"What did he say?" Prue asked a little too quickly.

"Actually he called for Piper."

"Me? What for?" Curiosity filled her voice.

"They have a suspect in custody. He'd like for you to come down to the station, to see if you can identify him."

Piper tried to hide the fear that now welled up in her chest. Just the thought of seeing that man again made her feel nauseous. "I can't." She started to walk out but was stopped when Paige stood up.

"We'll go with you." She looked to Prue and Phoebe who both nodded their heads.

"You can do this Piper." Prue tried to encourage her.

"Yea, we'll be right there with you." Phoebe added.

Piper looked at her sisters there. She couldn't help but feel stronger just being there with him.

Paige looked from Leo to Piper. "You won't be alone in this. None of us will."

"Ok." Piper reluctantly agreed.

"I'll get the car." Prue walked out with Phoebe behind her followed by Paige.

Piper stood alone in the attic with Leo. She didn't want to look at him. She was scared he'd see right through her.

"You're sisters will be with you Piper. I know you're strong enough to do this." He placed an arm around her shoulder and led her to the door.

Piper walked downstairs to find her sisters waiting for her in the car. She took her coat from the hook, slowly putting it on. Give me strength mom, please. She thought to herself as she walked outside, preparing to see the man who had taken so much from her. She and her sisters pulled from the drive way and slowly headed for the station.