He made his way through the halls practically dragging Phoebe with him. As he got to the room he wanted, he barricaded himself inside. Looking over at the fire escape, he could see the officers making their way up.
"Shit." He cursed as he tried to think of the next way out.
He heard the officers running by the doorway. Looking down at Phoebe he made his decision as he ran for the door. Opening it slowly he peered outside to see where they had gone. Seeing no one there he did the only thing he had left to do: he ran.
Chaos ensued as police yelled at each other and then at the man running through the building. A few had seen him and pinned him down. No one was really sure who fired the first shot but it could be heard over the quiet rumble of yet another aftershock.
She couldn't take her eyes off of the main door to the building as the shots continued and then nothing. Only silence.
Prue waited outside and felt Jamie's grip tighten when she felt the slight tremor in the ground.
It was not the tremor of the earth that bothered Prue or Jamie it was the unknown of what was happening inside.
The silence was threatening to rip her apart from the inside, as her body wanted to scream out in fear and anger.
She noticed suddenly that Bill and his partner were running into the building with their stretcher as she felt Jamie's hand tighten.
"He's the best. He'll save her."
Prue looked down and gave the girl a weak smile. Looking back up she waited. Her mind filled with memories of her and her sisters. Good ones and bad ones. Her fights with Phoebe, her late night talks about guys with Piper.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Bill coming out of the building with someone on his stretcher. She took a hesitant step forward and then ran towards him. As she saw her baby sister lying on the stretcher she felt her legs get weak but her anger to whoever it was that had done this quickly pushed it aside.
"Phoebe. Honey."
"She'll be ok Prue."
"Phoebe. Its me Prue." She said not even hearing Bill. How could he say she was ok? She was unconscious.
She climbed in the back of the ambulance and sat beside her running her hand over her head. Feeling a bump on the front she could see the blood there as well as on other parts of her sister. It was then she noticed the splint on her arm. "You're ok baby. We're all ok."
"Mmm.. P..Prue?"
"Yeah baby girl. I'm right here. I love you."
"Love you too." Phoebe said as she opened her eyes and locked them with her big sister. Was she seeing things or was her nightmare really over?
Prue walked into the hospital room to find Piper sleeping. Taking a seat next to the bed she waited beside her to tell her that they would all be ok.
"Prue?"
"Hi sleepy head." Prue sat up and took PIers hand to hers.
"Phoebe?"
"Is fine. A broken arm, some cuts from the glass in the solarium, and a few bumps on the head from falling objects and a fall, but she'll be ok. They're going to keep her in one night just to keep an eye on her. They should be bringing her up as soon as they set her arm."
"She's really fine?"
"Yeah she is. Just a slight concussion but she has as hard head. She'll be fine."
A few minutes later Phoebe was rolled into the room. They had given her some pain medication for her arm and was already half a sleep. But she had been fighting it so she could see her sisters.
"Piper!"
"Hey Phoebs. How you doing?" Piper looked at her little sister and had to laugh despite what they had all been through.
"Broke my arm." Phoebe mumbled out.
Laughing again. "I see that."
Prue walked over and sat between her two sisters as she took Phoebes hand in hers.
"Get some sleep honey. We're not going anywhere." She said as she bent down placing a kiss on her sisters' cheek. "I love you."
"Wove you too Pwue." Phoebe got out as she soon drifted off.
--- ----
Bill looked into the room that held the three sisters. Two of which he had helped. But in some ways he knew that helping the two, also helped the other.
"You like her don't you Bill?" Jamie asked though not meaning it as a question.
"I can't put anything past you can I squirt?"
"Nope. And you love me for it."
Lifting her into his arms he pulled her into a hug, "That's not the only reason kiddo." They both laughed as he tickled her in his arms
"Hi."
"Oh hi. Sorry we were just." Bill looked into the blue eyes before him and found himself getting lost.
"It's ok."
"Um how are your sisters?"
"Good, thanks to you. I never really got a chance to thank you properly though."
"Hey I was just doing my job."
"Yeah ok. But I do. They mean everything to me. I don't know what I would have done if anything happened to them."
There was moment of uncomfortable silence before Jamie broke there attention from each other. "Prue can I go see Phoebe?"
"Sure you can honey. She's sleeping right now, but if you want to sit with her that's ok." Prue said as she watched Jamie head towards the door, "And Jamie." Prue started
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. You were very brave to follow those men that had Phoebe. You probably saved her life. And for that I am forever in your debt." Prue said giving the little girl a smile.
Jamie starred up at her from the doorway. "Take my brother out to dinner and the debt is cleared." She said with a cheeky smile that reminded Prue of Phoebe at the same age.
"Jamie!"
"It's ok Bill." Prue said as she turned and looked at Jamie, "You have yourself a deal Jamie." She said with a smile. Smart kid she thought. And once again thinking how much she was like Phoebe at the same age.
--- ----
Jamie sat beside Phoebe and watched her friend sleep. Her brother had gone back to work but Prue had promised to take her home when visiting hours where over.
Piper woke and saw the little girl siting next to her sister.
"Prue?"
"Hey there."
"Who…"
"That's Jamie. You could say she saved Phoebes life."
"Oh she's that Jamie."
"Yep."
Prue had filled Piper in on what had happened to Phoebe the best she could. Though she knew that when her baby sister was up to it she would fill in the rest of the story.
"Jamie. This is Piper."
"Hi Jamie."
"Hi Piper. You have a nice name."
"Thank you. And thank you for saving Phoebe."
"You're welcome. I like her. She was nice to me."
"That's because there is an awful not of me in you."
"Phoebe!" Jamie cried as she hugged her friend
"Hey kiddo. What are you doing here?" Phoebe looked at her friend wondering what had happened
"I came to see you and I hooked my brother up with your sister."
Both Phoebe and Piper looked up at Prue.
"I'll tell you both later. Besides Piper, don't laugh, I think there is a San Francisco fireman out there looking for you." Prue laughed
"Well he'll have to go after Phoebe I'm spoken for."
"Yes you are." The voice from the doorway came
"Leo. Where the heck have you been?" Piper lookee at Leo as he walked in the hospital room.
"I'm sorry Honey. I had a job out of town that was very important." He tried to explain with Jamie in the room. "A matter of life and death. You understand don't you?"
Piper looked up at him with love. She knew exactly what he meant. A charge needed his help and that took priority over even the Charmed Ones in a natural disaster
"I understand."
"Piper Halliwell?"
"Over there." Prue pointed at the bed before even looking up to the voice.
"These are for you." He said handing her a bouquet of flowers.
Piper looked at the man confused. Until her sister jumped in.
"Piper this is fireman Jones. He is the one that brought you out of P3." Prue explained.
"Oh. Well thank you." Piper looked up at the man before her. He was handsome. If she weren't with Leo at the moment she would probably consider him. "Um this is my, boyfriend, Leo." She stopped as she saw the disappointment in his eyes. "And this is my baby sister Phoebe." She finished as she pointed over at Phoebe.
Jones felt as if his heart would break as she said boyfriend. But as he turned towards the other sister his heart took a second beat.
"Phoebe."
"Hi."
"Um. Well seen as your sister seems to have enough attention from one guy. Do you mind if I give these to you?"
Phoebe looked up at the man before her. This had to be the best thing to happen to her all day. "Um sure." She said with a smile.
Soon everyone was laughing and forgetting all about the day they had each had. Broken ribs, smoke inhalation, broken arms, concussions and general chaos. Stuff that happened to them everyday it seemed only maybe not to the extreme that it had today. The day the earth shock.
--- ----
As the guys went home and Prue took Jamie home Phoebe crawled into bed with Piper, though being careful not to disturb her stitches from her surgery, she curled up next to her sister.
"Day from hell hey Sis." Phoebe said as she rested her head on Pipers shoulder.
"You could say that Phoebs." Piper agreed as she ran her hand over Phoebes back.
That was were Prue found them a few hours later when she returned. Fast a sleep in each others arms. Getting up on the bed beside them she pulled them close to her so as not to wake them.
"Love you two."
"Love you too Prue. And the next time we have an earthquake. You're staying home with Phoebe."
"Hey I don't need a babysitter." Phoebe protested without even opening her eyes.
"Of course you don't honey. Just someone to hold your hand when the earth moves." Prue laughed at her baby sister.
"Well the ground isn't supposed to move." She pouted as she cuddled into her sisters more and drifted off to sleep
Back in each other's arms safe from everything. But unfortunately Mother Nature is one power in the world neither good nor evil that is beyond the power of three. For even if she wanted she could come again when no one expected and no one would know. She would strike again but for now. She was done with the city of San Francisco and her occupants.
The end