Author's Note: Thanks to Jedi Alanna and ShadowWren for reviewing. I very much appreciate it and it helps me to know that people are still interested in reading the story.
Jedi Alanna: What I was trying to go for was drama, lol. Also about the Triad? My educated guess would be that if all four sisters were still alive any combination of them could work in the Power of Three. Think of the Triad in the same light. There can be certain multi-members in the collective but they operate in pairs of three and can interchange their partners.
Chapter 15: Charmed To See You!
Phoebe raced upstairs to find out what was taking her sister so long.
Honestly, it had been a very strange twenty four hours. Within this time frame, they had discovered a niece, escaped the Underworld, recovered a dead sister, fought amongst themselves, and now their former childhood playmate from next door who was supposed to be dead was sitting in their living room anxiously awaiting their return. Although, just like Prue, Andy appeared to have no memory regarding his real or former identity. He was going by the name of Michael.
Yeah, strange didn't even begin to cover it, corrected Phoebe.
However, if her sister's recent behavior was any indication, Phoebe was beginning to strongly suspect Piper knew more than she was saying to the rest of them. Phoebe just wished she would spill it already because whatever she was keeping inside it was making her sister uptight and short-tempered. Which in turn, was making everyone else around her miserable.
Piper had listened intently alongside her sister to the story Darryl and Andy told but had remained completely silent and Phoebe could read her sister's body language. She knew there was something on Piper's mind that she wanted to share but didn't. The good news in it all was that Darryl had handled the tough part. He had already taken the initiative to inform Andy of their past, who they all were, and why Prue had been taken. After all, what else could Darryl have done? Andy had witnessed demons using their powers and abducting Prue, in the middle of an alley, during broad daylight. Therefore, luckily, they hadn't been put in a position to prove to him that magic existed. The last thing they had needed was another freak out session.
Thank god, Phoebe praised.
Throughout the discussion, Andy remained solemn and quiet. He was mostly relieved when he finally received the news that Prue was safe because they had found her. Now, Piper and Phoebe were the ones left hoping that Paige could say the same thing especially after they had just made it a point to reassure Andy. As for Phoebe, the tale that Darryl and Andy shared left her feeling lost and even more confused. Apparently, Prue and Andy were married the past five years, but under the guise of Michael and Marie Holloway. She didn't understand how any of it was even possible. Were Prue and Andy ever really dead? Who gave them their new identities? The Elders? That seemed like the most plausible explanation to explain why both Prue and Andy were alive and walking around in the flesh. Perhaps they found out Prue was still alive and rescued her from the Underworld? But what about Andy and, more importantly, why keep it a secret?
After checking the second floor and finding no sign of Piper anywhere, Phoebe decided to look in the attic. It was the last logical conclusion after checking bedrooms and bathrooms. As Phoebe made her way there, she thought she heard her cell phone. She then realized she had a voice mail.
Maybe it's Paige letting me know everything's okay?
During the talk downstairs, Phoebe had placed her phone on vibrate so they wouldn't be disturbed. She stopped in her tracks as she listened to the voice mail.
"Hey, Pheebs? Paige here. Everything's fine so you can relax, okay? Prue's safe, she's with me but she's going to spend the night at my place. I told her she could have the couch. Oh, and I bumped into Darryl on the way out so call me later and let me know what that was all about. Sooo tired, so I'll catch you later. Bye."
When the message ended, Phoebe pushed delete. She was relieved because that was one less problem they had to worry about for the rest of the night. She resumed her walk back in the direction of the attic and when she finally entered, she saw Piper on the floor. Boxes were surrounding her. Whenever she pulled out items that were not relevant to her search, they were discarded and shoved to the side.
"That was Paige," Phoebe announced gently, as she walked over to her sister and stood behind her. "Prue's with her at the apartment."
"Uh huh. Okay," Piper muttered while she was preoccupied with her search. She didn't bother to turn around or look at her sister.
Well, at least she's not shouting, so that's an improvement, Phoebe told herself. She released a heavy sigh as she brought herself down to sit on the floor beside her.
"What'cha looking for?" she asked, picking up one of the boxes and looking inside, moving stuff around. A lot of it was just some antique items collected from over the generations mixed in with remnants of their own past.
"I already looked in that one," Piper replied firmly after she saw Phoebe looking through it. "Here, try this one!" she instructed as she leaned to the other side of her reaching for a different box.
"Um, okay," said Phoebe as she reached over to take the box. "So what are we looking for?" she asked with a light laugh.
"Memorabilia," Piper answered back. "You know, the usual. Photo albums, diaries, letters. Anything to help Andy or Prue remember something," she encouraged.
Phoebe nodded her head slowly. "Right. Okay. But, honey, I think Darryl supplied Andy with more than enough proof to show him who they really are. And he still doesn't remember so I'm not so sure we're going to have much more luck."
"Ha ha! Here we go!" Piper exclaimed as she pulled a giant leather-covered album from a box. Phoebe's statement went completely ignored.
Phoebe moved in a little closer as Piper opened the photo album and began looking through it. They passed over many pictures, pictures that included Grams and their mom as a child, as a teenager, and finally pictures with them. Some of the pictures featured all three sisters growing up, while others captured them alone. It was a bittersweet moment as Piper and Phoebe momentarily became entrenched within memories from their past.
"Hey, I remember this one!" exclaimed Piper while she pointed to a picture that featured her own tenth birthday party celebration.
Phoebe looked over and smiled. "Oh, yeah!" she laughed. "The cake fight. Whoa, Grams must of had a heart attack cleaning up that mess."
Piper smiled along with her.
The picture featured Prue, Piper, and Phoebe all drenched in birthday cake. Their young faces and hands plastered with the cake while the three young sisters made funny faces together. Piper smiled at the memory. How had they gone from this to where they were right now, she wondered. She continued to flip through the pages of the album until she came upon a picture she thought might be useful.
"Here's a picture of Prue and Andy at the spring dance," she announced to Phoebe.
Phoebe scanned the photograph with her eyes. "The spring dance?" she questioned her older sister.
"Yeah, it was Andy's senior year before going off to college. Prue's junior year," Piper explained. "I think I remember they broke up when school ended that year," she finished.
Suddenly, both sisters grew quiet and reflective as they contemplated this particular time period. Finally, Phoebe was the first one to speak.
"Yeah. I really don't remember too much about their relationship but he's got to be Billie's father, right?" she asked.
Piper sighed. "I think so. Prue only had that one serious relationship in high school. And I remember she was arguing with Grams a lot around that time when she made Prue stop seeing him. That was probably the reason," she surmised. "Prue didn't date again until the end of senior year."
Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Oh, right. You mean, Mr. 'I don't know how to keep my hands to myself?' Yeah, I remember. How could I forget? Grams went ballistic when she found out what he did to Prue."
Prue had taken a temporary detour into liking the bad boy type after Andy. Piper had often wondered why. It was the complete opposite of Andy. Piper now suspected it might have had more to do with the spell cast by Grams possibly backfiring a bit after she made Prue forget, but an almost eighteen year old Prue had definitely been rebelling. Of course, all that came to a screeching halt the one night Prue's new beau lost control during a heated argument and he tried choking her.
"I never understood how Prue could have gone from liking someone like Andy to liking someone like that?" she added with shuddering disbelief. "I always thought there was something creepy about him and I was twelve."
"Almost thirteen," Piper corrected, flashing an amused grin. "But agreed. He was creepy." She made a face to show her distaste.
"Well, whatever. You get the point," she waved her hand in the air dismissively and Piper laughed in response.
Then it went silent again before Phoebe continued.
"So Andy doesn't know?" surmised Phoebe. "Which brings us to the question, how do we break the news to either one of them?" She shook her head in deep thought.
"No, probably not," Piper assumed. "Grams cast her spell. She kept it hidden from us. And she had Prue looking after us and with our Charmed destiny hanging on the line?" she sighed. "I'm pretty sure Prue eloping at eighteen because of a baby was most definitely not in the cards for Grams. As for the rest, we'll just deal with it as it comes. It's probably best to wait until Billie's ready to open up that can of worms anyway."
"I guess," Phoebe relented as she thought about all the secrets and the position it put them in. Then she sighed and released the growing anxiety. "We should get back downstairs," she finally suggested while standing back up.
Piper stood up as well. "Yeah, let's go," she agreed as she looked over the mess she had made. She held the photo album in her arms. "But I say the Book can clean this up tomorrow," she joked. "I think we've earned the right to some personal gain and if they don't like it they can just stick it," she nodded her at the ceiling towards the Elders.
Both women laughed as they left the attic.
X
Andy sat in the living room feeling very anxious and nervous. The two sisters he had spoken with made it a point to reassure him that his wife was safe but he much preferred to see that for himself. The sooner the better. He shifted uncomfortably in his sitting position. Darryl, who was seated next to him, leaned across and whispered to him.
"You know, you shouldn't have left out the part about your missing daughter. They might be able to help," Darryl insisted quite eagerly to his former partner.
"Yeah, well, I'm not so sure about anything right now," responded Andy with a shake of his head. Andy felt the tension course through his body as he stood up and started pacing the living room. "And let me tell you, the more I find out, the weirder it feels. I mean, am I Michael? Or am I Andy? Do I call my wife Prue or Marie?" He huffed. "C'mon! Demons and witches and god knows what else is out there?"
Darryl sympathized with his friend's dilemma.
"Look, buddy, I know this is rough. It's a lot to deal with but you'll get through it. And whether they feel like it to you or not, they're family and they're not going to turn their backs. They'll want to help, trust me," he tried reassuring. "But in order for that to happen, you've got to be truthful about everything," he added.
"Well, maybe," Andy relented slightly. "But the truth can wait until later in the morning. I'm beat. What is it like after one?" he went to look at his watch.
Piper and Phoebe came back down the stairs. Phoebe held a pillow and blanket in hand as both sisters made their way back into the living room.
"Okay," Phoebe announced while placing the blanket and pillow onto the couch. "One of you is free to take the couch for the night," she began. "Billie's spending the night at her dorm so that frees up a bed ..." but she was cut off by Darryl.
"Nah, it's fine, I already rented out a room," he declined. "But thanks anyway."
"Oh. Okay. I guess that gives me the room for tonight." Then Phoebe turned to look at Andy. "Uh, Andy? Are you staying?" she questioned. However, on a second thought, she wasn't quite sure how she should address the man standing before her so she retracted. "Sorry. Should I call you Michael?" She gritted against her teeth.
Andy smiled. "Um, I guess at this point it really doesn't matter," he answered her. "If Andy is more comfortable for you, knock yourself out." He reached out to accept the blanket and pillow that was offered to them. "Thanks," he replied with gratitude.
"Okay then," supplied Piper who was standing next to Phoebe. "Um, I dug this out of storage, so you're free to take a look at it whenever you'd like," she offered as she placed the photo album on the coffee table in front of the couch. "Maybe something in it will jog your memory, you never know?" she suggested.
Andy sighed. "Yeah, maybe," he muttered.
"So I guess I'll head to bed because it's late. Leo's already sleeping. But, uh, it's really good to see you again, Andy. We'll see you in the morning." Piper smiled before heading in the direction of the stairs. It felt awkward being in the same room with him again after so much time had passed.
"Night," Andy said as he waved back.
"Yeah, and I got a call from Paige and Prue's definitely with her so please don't worry. All of us can meet up later after we get some sleep," Phoebe reassured him. "So goodnight," she smiled, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the whole situation herself. She walked over and offered him a light hug which he accepted. "It's good to have you back," she acknowledged.
"Yeah, I'll be heading out too," announced Darryl. He turned to look at Andy. "Let me know how everything works out," he replied sincerely. He patted his friend's back on his way out.
"Will do," answered Andy. He smiled and waved to Darryl who was now leaving to exit the manor.
Phoebe also left to go back upstairs and get some much needed rest.
Andy was left alone with his own thoughts. Sleep is the furthest thing from my mind, he thought as he looked around.
After sitting down on the couch, his curiosity got the better of him. He slowly pulled the album towards him and opened it. Drifting through the pages, he stopped upon some photographs taken at a dance. The boyish grin looked familiar, very much like his own and to his side, stood a younger version of his wife with a gentle smile. She looked very pretty in her ivory gown, her beautiful long locks of raven hair flowing down her sides, complimenting the dress. Andy knew it had to be a high school dance. They were teenagers. Then he came upon a more recent portrait resembling his wife.
Andy yawned and realized for the first time the need for sleep was finally taking over. As he went to turn the lights off, he left the photo album wide open on the table with his wife's picture plastered across the page. Then, surrounded by silent darkness, he proceeded to lie down and drift off to sleep. The only visible light was the small glow cast off by the moon as it shined through the window shades.
X
Prue awoke to the sounds of birds chirping and the early morning rays making their way through the small window just behind the couch. The humming sound of the refrigerator in the kitchen, a few feet away, made it's way into the small living room area and to Prue's sensitive ears. Slowly, she yawned and allowed herself to stretch before sitting up and looking around.
Small but cozy, she thought as she nodded her head in approval.
She realized out of the blue that she needed to use a bathroom. Prue left the couch in search of it, sporting an over-sized button down shirt on loan from Paige from the night before. As she left the living room, she decided to investigate down the small slender hallway that connected the kitchen with the small dining room area.
It has to be around here somewhere.
Then in the middle of the hallway, she came into contact with a small closed door. Prue assumed it either had to be a bathroom or a closet but just as she was about to reach for the door and check it out, the door bolted open startling her and causing her to jump back.
"Hey Paige, we're outta' ... whoa!" the man shouted, instantly startled and jumping back at the sight of the strange woman standing in front of him. He had a tooth brush jammed inside his mouth with toothpaste foaming at the mouth. He was barely audible as he reached behind him, grabbing for an aerosol product. "Stay back!" he yelled, aiming the spray deodorant in her direction.
"Wait!" Prue reacted instinctively, bringing her arms and hands up to protect her face against the onslaught of aerosol. Without meaning to do it, she sent the deodorant can flying out of his hand and crashing through the small bathroom window located directly behind him.
Paige, hearing the commotion, jumped up out of bed realizing that Henry probably just encountered their overnight guest. She opened the door as fast as she could and came running out into the dining room. She entered the small hallway just in time to halt the impending freak out.
Henry looked at his empty hand and back towards the window in shock. "What the ... " he began to protest, pulling the toothbrush from his mouth and noticing Paige come flying around the corner at the same time. He pointed in Prue's direction intent on warning his wife. "Demon!" he hollered in her direction. "Do something quick!"
"Henry, no, stop!" Paige urged, reaching him. She took a deep breath, relaxing herself. "She's not a demon."
"She's not?" Henry asked in disbelief.
"No I'm not a demon!" Prue inserted. She rolled her eyes and brought her hand up against her chest. It felt like her heart was pounding a mile a minute. He had startled her. "But you're lucky it wasn't you going out that window instead," she nodded in the direction of the broken window. "It's not exactly like I have this thing under control," she looked down at her hands turning them over.
Henry swallowed nervously and sent his wife a look.
"Sorry I didn't get the chance to tell you last night. But it was late and you were already asleep when I got home. Everything's alright, she's just a guest. I let her stay last night," Paige rambled quickly.
"You let a perfect stranger spend the night?" he interrogated.
"Well, I wouldn't exactly call her a stranger," Paige defended, knowing full well that Henry wouldn't get the hidden meaning behind her statement. "I know her. In a way," she concluded. She left it at that for now.
"Oh," Henry muttered, slowly letting his defenses down. He turned back in Prue's direction and shrugged it off. "Sorry about that," he tried to apologize. Then remembering the unexpected event from seconds before, he became defensive again. "So does that happen a lot?"
Both Prue and Paige joined Henry in looking over his shoulder at the shattered glass.
Prue gritted down against her teeth feeling a little embarrassed. She felt the wind coming through. "What? You mean the draft?" she smirked and tried to divert.
"Ha ha, that's funny," he cracked. "Not. No, I mean should I be keeping a six feet distance or would it be safer at twelve?" Then noticing the woman's attire, he added to his retort. "And isn't that MY shirt?" He looked between Prue and his wife.
Prue looked to Paige, who in turn, went in for the quick introductions.
"Okay, uh, Henry? This is Marie," Paige settled on until she and her sisters had the opportunity to discuss the entire situation over with her. "Marie, this is my husband. Henry," she concluded.
"Is she one of your charges or something?" Henry was curious.
Paige made a face.
"Define charge?" she joked, thinking about Prue sort of being temporarily under her care until they could meet back up with Piper and Phoebe.
Henry reached out his hand slowly while Prue extended hers. "Yeah, it's nice to meet you," he offered cautiously. He still felt a bit on guard around the woman.
"Likewise," responded Prue. Momentary silence ensued and she cleared her throat. "But more and more people are just opting to call me Prue these days so it's up to you which one you'd rather go for," she cracked.
Henry crinkled his brows in confusion. He had heard the backstory on how his wife had been reunited with her sisters. It had resulted from the death of another sister she had never gotten to meet. The name sounded familiar. He was pretty sure it was the same name since the name was pretty uncommon to begin with.
"Prue?" he questioned looking at Prue and then back to his wife. "You mean as in ..." but he was cut off by Paige almost immediately. Now that he thought about it, she did resemble his wife. At least more than the other two sisters did.
"Uh, later," Paige's eyes widened, sending a pointed look at her husband.
Paige quickly shook her head before Prue could notice. The purpose was to signal her husband to leave it alone, not to open up that can of worms right now. She hoped he received her message loud and clear. That way he wouldn't push the issue because she really didn't want to reveal anything else until she and her other two sisters were ready to. Besides, it wasn't information she was comfortable dishing out on her own.
"So. Anybody for breakfast?" Paige offered, immediately changing the subject.
Momentary looks of confusion crossed the faces of both Henry and Prue. It was a bit of an awkward moment for everybody standing there. However, they both accepted the offer for breakfast and followed Paige into the kitchen.
X
It was Saturday morning.
Phoebe was preparing to take the three kids to the park once they finished eating their breakfast. She had already run the idea by Piper before finally getting to sleep last night and she had gotten her approval. Therefore, as promised, she would get them up and dressed this morning. The fresh air would do the kids some good and she figured she could let them play until sometime around noon before dealing with all the heavy drama that had landed in their laps over the past couple days.
After Phoebe finished getting dressed in her old room, she walked out into the hallway and could smell the sweet aroma of food traveling up the stairs as she walked to Wyatt and Chris's room. The smell made her stomach rumble and she realized she was actually pretty hungry.
Yup, Piper's most definitely up.
As she opened the bedroom door, she spotted two blond heads at the edge of Chris's baby crib. Little Chris was going to need a bed soon, it dawned on her. He was getting too big for the crib and with the new baby coming soon, his parents could probably use it again. Both Wyatt and Molly appeared to be playing with him as he held onto the rails and giggled in response to their childish chatter.
"Good morning," she whispered, approaching the crib to pick Chris up out of it. She planted a light kiss on the top of his head as the other two children scurried to get dressed and ready for some breakfast.
X
Downstairs in the kitchen, Leo was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. Andy was sitting across from him and every now and then, he would look over at him. After dropping Billie back on campus last night, he had returned home to find Darryl and the other man standing in his living room. They were briefly introduced and it had dawned on Leo why the man looked so familiar to him. He had actually already met him once a long time ago shortly after the sisters rediscovered they were witches. He had been dating Prue at the time while Leo had been posing as their handyman. Leo was also aware that the man had passed away sometime ago.
Piper turned around and offered Andy a hot cup of coffee. "There you go, Andy," she offered gently. "Be careful, it's really hot," she advised.
"Yeah, thanks," Andy smiled as he carefully took his first sip.
Leo felt bad for the other man. Piper had briefly shared with him the back story leading to his sudden resurrection this morning. And like Prue, he retained no memory of his former life. But that wasn't what really concerned him the most. Their memories could be recovered, especially since the Elders were responsible for erasing them in the first place. They possessed the ability to restore them. No, the problem was that after listening to what Piper witnessed through Emeritus and the time flashes, it sounded like Gideon made Andy's resurrection conditional. Which meant, he was brought back to life for the sole purpose of providing Prue with a new one. What would all this mean for Andy now that Prue was back with her sisters and they would need her to complete the Ultimate Power? After all, Prue never really died but Andy had been killed.
"So, huh, Andy," Leo started conversation, placing the paper down on the table. "How are you dealing with all of this?" he asked with some sympathy edged into his words. "It's got to be a lot to take in so suddenly."
"Yeah, I guess I'm dealing," he replied, placing his cup back down on the table. "As best as I know how."
"Well, you know you're welcome to stay here as long as you need," offered Leo. "Phoebe and Paige are living on their own so we have some extra space in the manor. At least for a little while anyway," he said, looking at his wife and smiling, acknowledging the fact that the baby would be here soon. She smiled back.
Andy smiled. "Yeah, thanks, I appreciate it."
"We'll get the answers you need, don't worry about it," Piper reassured him, as she served both of them plates filled with scrambled eggs, sausages, and toast.
There's not going to be anymore games, that's for sure, thought Piper. They would summon those Elders back down here and make them give back those damn memories if it was the last thing they did. Otherwise, they could screw off with their notions of ultimate powers and charmed destinies. Let them take out the Triad on their own.
Suddenly Andy inquired about using a bathroom. "Hey, um, is your bathroom upstairs or downstairs?" he asked.
Piper looked up. "Oh, well, both," she answered. "Take a right in the direction of the conservatory," she finished directing him.
"Alright, I think I can find it. Thanks," he smiled and left the kitchen.
X
Phoebe walked down the stairs behind the two children with Chris in her arms. Molly was holding onto the banister while Wyatt walked beside her. They appeared to be engaging in a race against each other down the steps.
"Walk don't run!" Phoebe instructed.
The last thing she needed was an accident and social services at her door whisking Molly away to a new foster home. Not when this little girl's life depended on them keeping her safe, at least until they had an idea on who her parents might be. However, little did Phoebe realize that in seconds the answer to that question was about to come full circle. At the same moment Andy rounded the corner from the dining room area, Wyatt decided to cheat and orb himself from off of the stairs and into the foyer. While blue and white orbs rematerialized back into the form of a small boy, Andy bumped into him. Momentarily startled by the open display of magic, he jumped backwards.
"Whoa there!" Andy exclaimed, taking in the sight of the small blond haired boy that was looking back up at him.
Wyatt had a proud smile plastered on his face. "I won!" his voice announced to the strange man he had never seen before.
Andy relaxed. He smiled and offered the little boy a hand. "I guess so. High five, buddy," he smiled and Wyatt patted his hand with pride.
Then in a flash, Andy's eyes darted over to the woman coming downstairs and into the foyer with the other small boy in her arms. But that wasn't what caught his immediate attention. No, it was the other small child walking in front of her. The little girl wailing shouts of no fair in response to the little boy's declaration of accomplishment. He blinked once, because for a moment he actually thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. But they weren't. She was a tad bit taller then he remembered and her hair a little longer as it flowed past her shoulders, but it was Molly. That was his daughter. He had no doubts about it when she looked up at him after jumping from the last step onto the floor.
It took a little more than a second for Molly's young mind to register the familiar face of the man who use to playfully swing her around, tickle her, and carry her around on his back. His soothing words used to encourage her to accomplish any small task from riding her bike with the training wheels attached, to winning a game of Chutes and Ladders. But she did remember and when she did, she ran to him.
"Daddy!" she squealed as she ran into his open arms.
He knelt down and scooped her up, squeezing her tightly and refusing to ever let go. Tears threatened to spill as he tried to convince himself that what was happening was real. That his missing daughter was alive and safe in his arms.
Phoebe paused at the bottom of the stairs staring at the scene in shock. The last thing she had expected to find out this morning, about the little girl she had decided to foster was that she would turn out to be the daughter of a sister she once believed to be dead.
X
Prue walked out of the small bathroom after changing into her washed clothes. Before going to sleep last night, Paige had taken the liberty of throwing them in the washer and dryer so Prue would have something clean to wear in the morning. After entering the kitchen, she approached the small table to sit down just as Paige had finished preparing breakfast. For the past couple of days before the kidnapping, she hadn't had much of an appetite but this morning she felt very hungry. It surely was from being held in captivity with nothing to eat or drink.
"Bacon or sausage?" Paige inquired.
She was unsure which Prue would prefer. The table was already set and Paige walked over with the frying pan and spatula in hand. It all felt a little awkward and somewhat insignificant, but finding out what her big sister liked to eat for breakfast was a small start in getting to know something about her. Plus, when the time would come and her sister remembered everything, she wanted her to know that she was responsible. That she could handle things just as well as Piper or Phoebe because it was much better than feeling replaced, not needed, or left out.
"Just bacon," Prue gave a weak smile. "Thanks."
After serving Henry and herself, Paige sat down to join them. Although, there was an eerie silence beginning to creep in. Prue reached for the small glass of orange juice that was already poured for her and took a sip while taking a quick glance over at Henry. Paige picked up her fork and began nervously shuffling food on her plate. Prue then turned to observe Paige. She made it a point to be discreet and not stare. It was strange. She wasn't exactly sure how and when she became so attuned to what others were feeling but Prue sensed insecurity, feelings of self-doubt, and the need for approval.
Henry avoided all eye contact and concentrated on eating his eggs. His beeper went off and he checked it quickly but then put it back into his pocket.
Prue decided to break the silence before it became too stifling.
"So," Prue began. "How long have you guys been married?" she smiled while using her fork to shuffle her own food around on the plate.
"Not too long," Paige answered. "A little over six months."
"Ah. So you're newly weds," Prue smirked. "Enjoy the honeymoon period while it lasts," she joked around playfully before taking a bite of food.
"Oh, so personal experience then?" Henry cut in. "I take it you're married. And how long would that be?"
Paige kicked his shin underneath the table for acting smug as Prue dropped her fork on the plate. Henry looked over at Paige and made a face at his wife. He whispered a silent 'what' back in response. She sent a look at him so he rolled his eyes.
"Sorry," he smiled at Prue. "Too personal?"
"No, not really," she shook her head. "But, yeah, I'm married," Prue's voice drifted off when she looked down at her wedding band. She closed her eyes and began fiddling with her ring finger. It had completely slipped her mind. Her husband was probably worried sick and he needed to know she was okay. "Um, can I use your phone please?"
The cordless phone was on the wall behind Henry. He turned to look at it and when Prue went to get up he reacted almost instantly.
"I'll get it," he stood up quickly and then grabbed for the phone.
Prue sat back down.
He couldn't help it. He had been around Paige and the others long enough to understand the implications of magic but the woman's ability made him nervous. She hadn't looked to be in control of it earlier. When he saw his wife give him another glare, he quickly jumped to his own defense.
"Hey, I happen to like my head, okay?" Henry nodded at Paige. "And I want to keep it. The last thing I need is for a flying telephone to take it off," he glanced over in Prue's direction before reaching out to hand her the phone.
Prue took the phone and began to dial.
"Oh, Henry, be quiet! Your head isn't going anywhere," Paige mused, rolling her eyes at him.
"No, you call for things and then they move. She moves things and they go KABOOM!" he used his hands to demonstrate. "And by the way, just so you know? Now we're outta' mouthwash and deodorant." While saying this, he purposely turned back to Prue giving her a pointed look and a smug smile.
Prue was going to retort when suddenly a feeling of nausea hit her. Uh oh. She dropped the phone, covered her mouth, and raced for the bathroom.
Paige and Henry were left sitting there feeling a bit stunned.
"Was it something I said?" Henry gritted his teeth.
Paige rolled her eyes. Henry reached for the phone left on the table but Paige snatched it out of his hand. She got up and headed in the direction of the bathroom with Henry following behind her. Gently, Paige knocked on the door. She could hear the familiar sounds of vomiting coming from the other side of the door.
Henry made a face of disgust at the retching sounds.
"Marie? Are you alright?" Paige was concerned.
"Maybe it was your cooking?" Henry teased. He was leaning against the door frame. "I hope you didn't give her food poisoning. That's the last thing we need. We'll either be sued or arrested for cooking without a license."
His reward was a playful smack against his chest. "I did not give her food poisoning," she hissed back in a whisper. "I'm no Piper, but I can make an egg."
"Ouch! Just joking, take it easy," he exclaimed.
Paige knocked a second time when she received no answer the first time.
"Marie?" she called again. This time the sounds of throwing up had ceased and she heard the water faucet being turned on.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I'll be out in a minute," came the hoarse reply from the other side of the door.
The phone rang startling both Henry and Paige.
"Hello?" answered Paige.
X
Andy felt panic settle in as logic went straight out the window. All his mind could register? Wanting to know how his missing daughter was here with these people? Had they been responsible in some way for taking her? He grasped onto his daughter tightly while holding her up in his arms. He immediately confronted the woman standing before him. She had a look of shock registered on her face.
"What the hell are you doing with MY daughter?" he demanded to know.
The anger in his voice was clear and very evident. Phoebe still struggled to find her own words for this.
"I ... uh ... " Phoebe stammered, before finally catching her bearings. "Wait, what do you mean YOUR daughter?" she demanded back, still feeling somewhat shocked by what the revelation meant. "You didn't say anything about a daughter last night!" she defended, raising her voice to match his level.
"That's because I didn't get around to it but that still doesn't explain what she's doing in YOUR house?" he countered right back.
Both Piper and Leo hearing the commotion from inside the kitchen rushed into the dining room area to find out what the fuss was all about.
"Hey, what's going on?" Leo demanded, his eyes scanning back and forth between Phoebe and Andy. He noticed that the little girl was hoisted up protectively in his arms.
Molly, picking up on the change of tone in her father's voice, felt scared. Did she say something wrong? Everybody was all happy and now everyone sounded mad.
"Daddy, what's wrong?" her voice asked.
Suddenly realizing for the first time that his sudden outburst had probably startled her, he apologized to her. "Sorry, baby, nothing's wrong. I didn't mean to shout. We're just going home, that's all," he soothed. "Right now!" he added for extra emphasis. Emphasis that was directed towards the other adults in the house.
"Daddy?" Piper repeated. Had she just heard right? She looked to Leo who only shrugged back in response because he looked just as confused about the sudden revelation. "Whoa, hold up a minute," she intervened while stepping forward. "Somebody want to tell us what's going on here?" she demanded.
Andy reached for his cell phone hidden inside his pants pocket.
"Yeah, I'll tell you exactly what's going on here. I'm calling Darryl Morris and telling him to get over here right now. And if I don't like what I hear, you're all getting arrested for kidnapping!" he exclaimed.
"Well, wha..." Phoebe was at a loss for words at the accusation being thrown their way.
She turned to look at Piper for a rescue. Leo, on the other hand, approached her and took Chris from her arms so that he could remove him and Wyatt away from the scene of the argument before it erupted into a blow out.
"Wait a minute, kidnapping?" Piper exclaimed. "We didn't kidnap anybody, least of all Molly. She was found here in San Francisco wandering around on a damn bridge," her voice rose a notch. "Alone and scared I might add! So how about telling us what happened?" she demanded.
Andy still held on tightly to his daughter with all his might for he feared losing her again if he let her go. He realized that he probably overreacted without giving them a chance to explain and he was trying to calm himself down but it was hard. Lashing out seemed like the natural thing to do given the circumstances. What would any normal person assume if they had walked into some stranger's house and discovered their missing child on the premise?
He took a deep breath.
"What happened?" he repeated rhetorically. "My daughter went missing a year ago, that's what happened. And it's not something I like to talk about so excuse me for not bringing it up right away!" he vented. "We thought she was ..." he started but stopped as he considered his words more wisely with his daughter in his arms listening. Dead didn't seem appropriate. "Gone," he concluded.
"We?" Piper sought confirmation.
But she already knew what he meant by it. It meant both he and Prue spent a year believing that they had lost a daughter. Forever. Which confirmed that Molly was Prue's daughter. Well, one of them. There was still the revelation about Billie to deal with and considering Andy's reaction to this, that probably wasn't going to go any smoother.
"Oh boy!" sighed Phoebe turning to address Piper. "It was worse than we thought. That means they had Molly all of that time and that's why they wanted her powers," she concluded, as all the pieces to the puzzle were slowly coming together to make sense.
Piper nodded in response to the revelation. "Yup. They gave our own power over to demon Christy so it could be matched up with Billie's. That's how they thought they could take us out," she finished.
"And it almost worked," added Phoebe.
Andy just stood there listening to the exchange before deciding to interrupt.
"Excuse me? But what the hell are you talking about? And what does some Billie or Christy have to do with my daughter? And what are you trying to imply? That demons had my daughter this whole time? Why?" he demanded to know all at once.
Phoebe turned to Piper as they exchanged looks.
"Well, probably for the same reason they would want Prue ... " Phoebe started to explain before she heard Andy break into laughter. "What's so funny?"
"Hold up!" he announced, with one of his hands up in the air. After the laughing ceased, he sighed. "You're not going to try and tell me that my daughter is a witch, are you?" he asked in disbelief. Granted, he had seen and heard a lot of strange things over the past few days but he wasn't quite ready to go there yet.
Piper closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to shake it free from the cobwebs starting to tangle up there. Phoebe, on the other hand, attempted to answer his question.
"Well, yeah, actually ..." she started again but was cut off by Andy who headed straight for the door, Molly still in his arms.
"That's it! I'm out of here!" he declared.
"No, Andy, wait!" Phoebe shouted, blocking his path to the front door. "You can't leave. It's not safe!"
"Get out of my way!" Andy demanded.
"No, Andy, please think about this. You're upset, I get it, but I know you don't want to put Molly in any danger," she tried to desperately plead her case. "But if you leave, there's nothing to stop them from finding or taking her again. At least here, she's safe. We can help to protect her!" she argued, hoping he would see reason.
"Andy?" Piper spoke out in order to back up her sister.
She took her own steps forward.
"You can't leave with Molly," Piper continued. "Social Services will be looking for her and that puts Paige's job on the line after she risked it to help keep her safe. Do you really want Molly thrown back into the system once they find out who you are? Because that's exactly what will happen until they can sort out this whole kidnapping mess," she argued logically. "Then, who's going to be able to protect her?"
A deafening silence lapsed for a few moments as Piper and Phoebe watched how the power of Piper's reasoning effected Andy. He knew it was true. After all, he was a cop and he knew how the system worked. The police departments and agencies were all inter-connected and the last thing he wanted was his daughter to be taken away again. Sure, after a thorough enough investigation into what happened they would most likely get Molly back. But at what price? After another one or two years in the foster care system as the wheels of justice turned slowly? Nah, all that wasted time wouldn't be worth it especially if demons really were after his daughter because of a life her own mother didn't even remember. If they didn't even know how to defend themselves against it, how would they ever be able to protect Molly from it? Reluctantly, he acknowledged that his best option appeared to be right where he was standing.
"Fine," he relented. Andy released a sigh and slowly placed his daughter back on the floor. Molly looked between her father and the other two women. "For now!" he continued and made it a point to stress it. "But I want to know what we're supposed to do?"
"Well, I think we should start by meeting up with Prue and Paige," suggested Phoebe. "We need to get everything out in the open, there's no more waiting," she insisted. "I'll go give her a call," she announced as she walked from the foyer heading for the kitchen.
Andy and Piper stood staring back at each other. There was only a solemn expression coming from his eyes.
X
Golden Gate Park
Andy and Phoebe could be seen waiting by a nearby picnic table on the grassy knoll by the playground. It was under one of the tall trees offering shade. They both kept a close watch on Wyatt and Molly playing in the park. They were having fun, running around, and heading for one of the slides.
Phoebe smiled. She couldn't wait to have her own daughter one day. It was something she had been wanting for a long time but doubted that it would happen. But her faith had been restored with some help from Coop and now they were preparing to take that first step in the direction of making everything happen. Their wedding.
"She's a really great, kid," Phoebe offered.
"Yeah," Andy sighed and looked over to Phoebe.
"We won't let anything happen to her!" she asserted. "And believe me, we've had some pretty tough hurdles thrown at us over the years. But we've always managed to make it through."
Andy listened. "I hope so," came his simple reply. "I really do."
There was so much on his mind. How were they going to get out of this mess? A part of him just wanted to take Molly and run. He was feeling sucked into something he really wasn't sure he wanted to be a part of. After all, it wasn't his secret past that was dragging them into this. It was hers. Why couldn't they just have a normal life?
There were still so many unanswered questions. He didn't remember any of this. Did he really have a choice in what to do anymore? He really wasn't sure.
Back home he knew there would only be the three of them. There would be no help with any of this. At least here there appeared to be extended family who cared and were equipped with the ability to help protect Molly. She could be facing real danger by leaving. Danger, he himself, was not capable of keeping her safe from.
Why did everybody believe he was dead?
"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Phoebe reassured him while his eyes drifted in search of Prue's arrival.
However, all his thoughts and worries ceased when he caught sight of the woman he loved coming down the pathway. The other woman, Paige, was walking beside her. His wife appeared to be scanning the area until the other woman pointed in their direction and then their eyes locked from across the distance.
X
Paige pulled her green buggy into the empty parking space that the previous car just vacated. Both women unbuckled their seat belts and exited the car.
Phoebe had briefly filled Paige in on the phone earlier. There had been more to tell, but Phoebe said she couldn't explain it all over the phone which was why they had agreed to meet at this designated location. She did hear the strange tale about Darryl and why he had traveled to San Francisco and also found out about the mystery man she had almost run over in her haste out the door last night. Ironically, he turned out to be Prue's husband and a man that was supposed to be as dead as her sister. Weird.
Paige had made it her business to inform Prue that her husband was in San Francisco looking for her and that he agreed to meet up with her at Golden Gate Park. Of course, she had made sure her sister was okay and not too sick to make the trip here. Paige was still concerned. What if the Underworld had done something to her before they had found her? But Prue had insisted there was nothing to worry about because nothing was wrong.
Prue and Paige walked side by side. The walk was brisk and Prue began picking at her cuticles. It was a subconscious habit that she carried for as long as she could remember. All her thoughts were focused on her husband's reaction to the truth.
"Do you usually do that?" Paige remarked, arching her brow in her sister's direction. She had picked up on the cuticle picking right away.
"What?" Prue asked distractedly, throwing a confused look Paige's way.
Paige smirked. "The hand thing," she pointed out. "Relax! Reuniting with your husband is supposed to be a good thing!"
"Oh!" Prue replied, quickly dropping her hands to her side. "Yeah, that. Sometimes, I guess. Nervous habit," she offered with a slight grin.
"Well, me, I tend to ramble a lot," Paige offered. "Nothing like a little gibberish to help take the edge off," she joked lightly. She earned a small smile back from Prue.
"I still don't know what I'm even supposed to say to him," she confessed, as Paige listened. "And to tell you the truth, maybe he shouldn't be here. He should leave, it's not safe to be near me," she concluded. She crossed her arms together, looking to the ground as both women continued in the direction of the park.
What am I supposed to tell him? That I can make objects fly and people jump? That our lives will never be the same because freaks in dark robes want to kill me and by extension, you? Somehow, all of that appeared to give new meaning to their wedding vows: In Good times and Bad.
Paige sighed. "Well, I tried that with Henry and believe me it didn't work," she admitted, trying to relate her own experience to her sister's. "I told him it wasn't safe but he refused to listen. But," she paused. "Then I came to the realization that he had made a good point. Which was, it was his decision to want to be there. My intentions were good but I really had no right to make him leave unless he wanted to."
Paige paused before making light about it.
"And if the possibility of death staring him right in the face wasn't enough to scare him away, I knew he had to love me," she reminisced with a light laugh.
Prue appeared to be taking everything Paige said into consideration.
"Yeah, but despite the consequences?" she challenged Paige. "What if you lose him? Could you live with yourself? Because I don't know if I could ... " she trailed off.
Prue and Paige both came to an abrupt halt.
"My advice?" offered Paige. "Have some faith. Faith in him, faith in yourself, and even some faith in the greater good. That it will let things work out. That's what I do!" she ended with a shrug of her shoulders.
Then both women shifted their heads in the direction of the small park.
"Ha! I think we're here," Paige stated, pointing in the direction of the small playground.
Prue's eyes searched, desperately, over the length of the grassy layout. That was until they locked with the familiar eyes of the man she loved.
X
Piper stood behind the baby swing pushing Chris back and forth.
A light breeze shuffled Piper's long brown hair around. Every now and then, she would glance in the direction of the pathway to see if Prue or Paige had arrived. After the showdown in the manor last night, everybody agreed that this would be the most neutral place to meet. Be that as it may, it still didn't help to alleviate the growing anxiety in the pit of Piper's stomach. The feeling kept hitting her in waves and as hard as she tried, she couldn't make it stop. She had been so angry, confused, and hurt that it had caused her to lash out. Would today be any different? What would she even say? Damn, she really hated feeling so out of control when it came to her emotions.
Molly ran up to Piper, who was in the process of taking Chris out of the swing. Wyatt stood to the side of her. She patted against Piper's leg to grab her attention. Piper looked down at the little girl and offered her a small smile.
"Piper?" she called out excitedly. "I get to see my mommy today. My daddy said so."
The thought of seeing Prue made Piper involuntarily tense up. She knew she had to keep appearances up for Molly's sake. After all, they already had one confrontation with her father and they didn't need a repeat performance in front of her mother too. Children were impressionable. They tended to shoulder the blame for the troubles surrounding them. Grievances that were usually created by the adults around them, Piper acknowledged. She had first hand experience on that with Wyatt.
"I know," Piper smiled. "She's going to be so happy to see you."
"Did she forget me when I went away?" Molly suddenly blurted out. Her face looked worried, her excitement gone.
Piper's heart sank for the child. She knelt down so that she was eye level with her. "Of course not, sweetie," she tried to reassure her. "Mommies never forget."
"The mean girl said mommy didn't need me anymore," Molly shook her head. "She said mommies were bad people."
Piper felt saddened to discover some of the trauma her niece had obviously experienced during her time in the Underworld.
"Molly, I think the mean girl was trying to scare you," she explained to the child. "And you know what? You were such a brave girl. Your mommy never stopped looking for you. She loves you and I know she's going to be very proud of you."
Molly listened and smiled.
"And you know what else mommies really really like?" Piper teased.
"What?"
"Lots and lots of hugs and kisses," she suddenly began tickling the little girl and she broke out with laughter.
"You're funny!" Molly laughed. "I will give her this many," she announced proudly, using her fingers to display a number.
Piper nodded with a smile and then glanced over to her two sons who were distracted with playing in the grass. Then she finally caught sight of the two sisters they had been waiting on. Phoebe and Andy had already reacted to their arrival. Prue and Andy were starting to walk towards each other. Quickly, Piper swallowed her pride and started to lead the children back to the area with the picnic table.
"Molly, look who's here?" she announced.
Molly looked in the direction that Piper was pointing and ran out ahead of her as she watched her father heading in the direction of her mother.
X
Prue smiled and walked slowly in the direction of her husband.
She was brushing the blowing strands of hair away from her face. A few more steps and she could embrace him and just feel the tension melt away. They could go home and try to forget the nightmare the last few days had become. She was so distracted by her rambling thoughts that she hadn't registered her own daughter's voice until she felt the lunge and small arms gripping her legs in a tight squeeze.
"Mommy! You came back."
Prue froze.
Andy stopped when Prue's attention shifted to their daughter.
Prue could feel the child holding on tightly, not letting go. Finally she did and Molly backed away looking up at her mother. She squinted as the sun hit against her eyes then the little girl used her arm to try and block it.
"Don't go away again."
Prue stared at the daughter she hadn't been able to lay eyes on for over a year. The shock consumed her. All she could do was stare but she felt the emotional onslaught threatening to take over. How was this possible? Was it really happening? She bit against her trembling lips and felt her eyes filling up. She didn't want to cry and make a scene or, even worse, frighten Molly away from her. Slowly, she knelt down in front of Molly before reaching out and pulling her into a tight embrace. Molly didn't resist, thank god, but Prue closed her eyes tightly and tears fell out. She didn't want to let go.
"Hey there, baby girl," her voice cracked.
Prue pulled back slowly and gently glided her hands down the sides of her daughter's face, observing every inch of her. She stared into the bright blue eyes she hadn't seen in so long. This moment between them felt so surreal. There were feelings of joy, disbelief, and relief all at once.
"I'm so sorry," her voice broke again. Prue tried to cover it up with a smile. Then she affectionately took a piece of stray blond hair and slipped it behind her daughter's ear. "I promise I'm not going anywhere. Ever! Okay?"
Molly smiled and nodded at her mother.
"Hey, kiddo. You got taller," Prue laughed but her puffy eyes were visible by now and tear marks were on her cheeks.
Molly noticed. "Mommy, are you crying?" she asked. "Did I make you sad?"
Prue quickly used her sleeve to wipe at her eyes.
"No. No, baby," she shook her head and plastered on another huge smile for the benefit of her daughter. "Not at all. I'm just very very happy to see you."
Now that the initial shock had worn off, Prue was confused. Where had her daughter come from and how was she here? Molly had only been three last year and one of Prue's worst fears had always been that when they reunited, too much time may have passed. Their daughter could have forgotten them. They could have been strangers to her.
Prue examined every remaining detail about her daughter. Well, at least she appeared unharmed, she concluded with some relief.
Molly watched her mother wipe away the remaining tears.
"Okay." The little girl reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small crushed flower. "Here," she handed it to her mother. "I got it over there," she smiled and pointed in the direction of grass and trees. "They make you happy not sad."
Prue gave a faint smile. "Thank you, baby," she muttered.
Prue took the flower and slid it behind her ear. She looked over towards Andy who stood by waiting patiently, observing the interaction from afar. His hands were thrust in his pockets while he paced in small. He was letting them have their moment. When he looked back up and their eyes locked, she took a deep breath before picking up her daughter and then held her close. She kissed the side of her daughter's face and closed the distance between herself and Andy. When she was close enough, Andy reached out for Prue and held on tightly.
"You're okay. Thank god," he mumbled into her hair.
"I'm okay," she reassured him.
As they embraced, some tears resurfaced. Next he bent down to kiss his daughter on the head, who was hoisted up in her mother's arms and wedged in between them. Then he bent over and shared a quick kiss with Prue. It was a touching scene to an observer but it was filled with unresolved heartache and pain for the small reunited family.
X
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige watched quietly from the sidelines.
Phoebe's own tears wanted to fall but she used her hand to wipe them away before they had the chance to do it. Even Piper was moved despite her unresolved issues regarding her older sister. At least the three of them were back together and safe, she had concluded.
For now.
Paige was completely taken aback. Had she just heard right? Molly was Prue's daughter? How freaky. She knew nothing ever happened to them by mere coincidence and she had been right. With her arms crossed, she slowly approached her other two sisters who were watching the scene just as intently as she had been. She walked over and stood beside Phoebe.
"So," Paige started. "I take it this family has just grown by four?" Paige joked. She was referring to Andy, Prue and the revelations regarding Billie and Molly. "So today we started out with only two nephews," she nodded over at Phoebe, "and now we've all got two nieces in just two days?"
Paige gave a dramatic nod.
"Yeah. There seems to be a big sale on those this week," Piper joked in stride, before turning serious again. Slowly, she turned around to face her sister, her tone turning serious. "Paige, look, about last night?" she began.
"It's alright, Piper, forget about it!" Paige interjected. She wanted to avoid another confrontation.
"Actually, no, it's not!" Piper objected. "Listen, you've done nothing wrong and you didn't deserve to be treated like that. It's not you, it's me, I just have some issues I'm going to need to work through so try and bare with me." She glanced at Prue while saying this and both Phoebe and Paige picked up on it. "So I'm sorry."
The apology was sincere.
Since Piper had just given her the opening, Paige decided to vent how she really felt. She took a deep breath and then admitted what she really needed to say.
"Honestly, Piper, it did bother me. Somewhere deep inside, it's bothered me for awhile. I'm sorry but I can't help it. Sometimes, I just feel like second best around here. And I know you guys don't mean to do it on purpose but ..." she trailed off as Piper jumped back in.
"Paige, please don't ever feel like you don't matter because you do. You're a part of this family and you always will be. No one can ever replace you. No one!" Piper stressed.
"Yeah, we depend on you more than you know, sweetie," added Phoebe in a soft manner. She gave Paige a gentle squeeze on the arm as a small show of affection.
Paige smiled at her two sisters.
"Thanks. I think I just really needed to hear that," she admitted. "But I accept your apology," she added. She and Piper smiled back at each other. Paige sighed, then turned her attention back in Prue and Andy's direction. "Okay, so now what?" she inquired.
"Now comes the hard part," replied Phoebe. She sighed and focused her attention back on Prue.
"Yeah, the truth. I just hope she's ready to hear it," Piper shook her head.
All three sisters proceeded to walk in the direction of their oldest sister.
X
"Ouch," Molly protested. "You're squishing me."
In light of their daughter's protest, Prue and Andy broke apart. At the same time they turned around, the other three familiar faces were approaching them with serious and solemn expressions. Andy picked up on it and assumed this probably meant that they were ready to have a discussion with his wife regarding the situation. He attempted to reach over to take Molly from her mother's arms. Prue, however, didn't want to let go and swayed with her daughter to the other side.
"What?" she tensed, looking between her husband and the other three women.
"Look, I realize the timing couldn't be any worse," Phoebe, who was standing in the middle, attempted to break in. "But we have something really important to discuss with you and it can't wait any longer," she instructed in a firm tone of voice.
"Here. I'm just going to take her so you can talk," Andy insisted, reaching out for Molly a second time. "We won't go far, we'll just be over there by the swings," he tried to reassure his wife, while nodding his head in the direction of the playground.
Prue resisted a second time.
She noticed the woman from the other night, the same one that had been so rude and obnoxious. She suppressed the sudden urge to roll her eyes.
Great, just what I'm looking forward to. Round two.
"Well, maybe I don't want to talk," Prue argued. "Maybe I just want to get the hell out of here and go back home."
"Honey, look," Andy started. "I really think you need to hear what they have to say," he replied, attempting to persuade her of the necessity behind it. "It's important. Especially when it involves Molly too."
"This has nothing to do with Molly!" she protested in a stubborn manner. Her protective grasp on her daughter remained strong.
Paige decided to try and intervene.
"Look, Prue ..." but she didn't get more than those two words out because she was abruptly cut off by her older sister.
"Prue?" she repeated. She spit the name out with contempt. "Since when did you decide to start calling me Prue?" Out of all three women, Paige didn't address her that way. What had changed?
Paige didn't know how to respond but Piper managed to come to Paige's defense while keeping her voice at an even tempered level. She was really trying to keep her cool but it was getting harder and harder.
"Because that's who you are and you better start dealing with it!" Piper replied coldly but firmly through gritted teeth. "Otherwise we're all dead."
Prue just glared back at her. This time when Andy reached out for Molly, she loosened her grip on her daughter. Reluctantly, she watched as Andy and Molly headed in the direction of the small playground with the other two children in tow. Andy had offered to take them along.
"Look, we can't discuss all the details in public, but we can at least begin by telling you who you are. And who we are," Phoebe opened up.
Feeling defensive, Prue crossed her arms. "Oh really? And who might that be?" she mocked.
Phoebe took a few small tentative steps forward and a deep breath before answering.
"Our sister," she announced, a touch of sadness laced between those two simple words. "We're your sisters."
Silence greeted all the women before Prue broke out laughing.
"Right," her denial erupted. "Uh huh. Okay. I guess it all makes sense now." She rolled her eyes. Prue clearly wasn't taking the admission seriously. "What are you joking?" she exclaimed, looking to each sister.
The laughing ceased and her face took on a more serious expression at the sight of the other women. They didn't appear to be joking. Piper was staring at the ground refusing to look at her. Phoebe had tears shining around the brims of her eyes while Paige's face masked a lot of sympathy. Why did she feel like she had just been punched to the stomach with truth? Suddenly, she felt claustrophobic in their presence and she needed her own space. That and she didn't want to give any of them the satisfaction of seeing her cry because that's what she felt like doing.
"I have to go!" she announced rather suddenly and in a shaky voice. Her gaze hit the ground and she headed off in the direction of her husband and daughter.
"Well okay. That sure went well!" Paige sighed, shaking her head and closing her eyes.
"Nah, that wasn't too bad," offered up Phoebe in light of Prue's reaction. "She's strong, she'll come around. The harder part is waiting for us down in the Underworld," she declared.
"Well, she better come around and fast," Piper jumped in. "Otherwise, we're screwed. Which means we need to get back to the manor and make the Elders give her those memories back," she concluded.
Phoebe and Paige turned to Piper with questioning looks on their faces.
"The Elders?" Phoebe questioned. "What do they have to do with it?"
Suddenly realizing that her other two sisters were unaware of the other details because of all the chaos erupting every minute, Piper spoke up.
"Uh, yeah. That's right, you two don't know everything yet. Don't worry. I'll fill you in on the way back to the manor," she supplied.
The three sisters turned around and watched as their oldest sister made her way over to the small playground. They watched her wipe at her face, a clear indicator that she was probably crying. It had been an emotionally overwhelming day for her and all her sisters knew it. But they had to tell her, there was no other way to start moving on from this. They needed to unite together in order to defeat their biggest threat. A threat that was still waiting just around the corner.
The Triad.
To Be Continued: Well, the truth is out there and it hurts, lol, well, most of it anyway. Anyways, thanks for reading and like I always say, don't forget to review. I'll be back with another update soon.