Chapter Eleven
Today you were wearing forget-me-not blue,
I held you and said "I'll never forget you,"
You smiled at me and stroked my hair,
But you were never really there.
We changed the future with strength from the past,
Our love and trust waned, how could we last?
But then we came back, you holding our hands,
Evil didn't stand a chance.
"Hear these words, hear the rhyme." Prue lit the paper containing the date '5-17-1993'.
"We send to you this burning sign," Piper whispered, uneasily.
"Then out future selves we'll find." Phoebe stared at the burning piece of paper she was holding over the pot, entranced.
"In another place and time." The sisters disappeared in a flurry of gold orbs as the sun set.
MONDAY APRIL 17TH, 1989
Phoebe's POV
The first thing I noticed was the sun glaring into my eyes, then my bed underneath me; I sat up bleary-eyed and looked around: great my room was a mess, I took comfort in the fact that some things never changed. Then I realized I was holding something, I looked down and saw a slightly dog-eared piece of paper in my hands, recognizing the writing straight away – Grams.
Dear Phoebe,
If you're reading this I'm probably long gone, I know you wouldn't read it straight away. I'm writing this to you because I think you could handle it better than either of your sisters: there are secrets in our family. If I am dead you have probably found out about one and I am truly sorry. I should have told you but even as I write this I know I can't bear to wipe the beautiful smiles off your faces today with talk of demons and death. Maybe that's selfish of me, but aren't you glad you had at least a few years of normalcy?
The other secret is one I was sworn to protect by your mother, Patty. I suppose I need to tell you about Whitelighters first: they are basically guardian angels for witches; they guide us in our decisions and try to protect us. You will meet yours someday, but before then I need to tell you about Patty and Sam, her Whitelighter. They were in love. And perhaps it was inevitable that another baby was born. Her name is Paige and I don't know where she is: I want you to find her.
Love,
Grams.
Was she the girl with the demons?
I hurriedly climbed off the bed and walked down the hall towards Piper's room, we had seen them in the manor so they still lived here right? They hadn't gone off to college in some far away state…
Piper's POV
I rolled over and hit something warm and soft.
"Ow!"
Prue? We had woken up TOGETHER?
Looks like you hit the jackpot.
"Prue?" I turned to look at the face behind me as blue eyes flickered open, nearly drowning me in their beauty.
"Do I have to get up?" she whined. I grinned, getting an idea.
"Well, if you don't, I won't ever kiss you again." Her eyes immediately widened in alertness, sitting up quickly. My mouth practically dropped open in shock when I realized she was naked.
"Er…Piper, am I wearing clothes? Please say yes…"
"Sorry, sis, guess our relationship got a lot less strange in the future." I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but a quick look under the covers told me I would, and soon. Prue looked down at me, appreciatively and I did my best not to blush. Sure, I may look to be twenty on the outside but I was still sixteen and shy.
"Fours years has only made you more beautiful…" she whispered. I wanted to kiss her so much right then, so I took the initiative for once and did, hard. We were all over each other; the covers dropped between us as Prue lay back and let me have control. Our legs entwined and I could feel every inch of her against every part of me: she was mine, all mine…
There was a knock on the door.
I felt like carrying on in the hope that they would go away: the feel of Prue's body below mine was too intoxicating to pull away from.
"Prue…" I gasped as she began kissing my neck. "Prue, that's probably Phoebe."
"You're right," she whispered huskily. "We should stop." She pulled back reluctantly, eyes dilated with desire and I could feel how hard it was to not give in and just take her. I closed my eyes, trying to quell the urges by not allowing myself to see her.
"Okay," I breathed – it was so hard not to sound too turned on. "Close your eyes and turn around. Just don't look." I could hear her giggling slightly as I followed my own orders.
"Phoebe, we're kind of in a…er…interesting position. We'll meet you downstairs in five, okay?" I heard a snort and the sound of retreating footsteps and smiled slightly too myself – she knew exactly what had happened.
The bed shifted underneath me: Prue was getting out. I clenched my hands into fists until my knuckles turned white.
Don't look, don't look, don't look, don't…
I got myself out too, keeping my back carefully turned to wear I knew she was standing. I glanced around, looking for my clothes; they were strewn across the floor and hanging off various bits of furniture. I gulped nervously, picking up my panties from the desk and starting to dress.
Phoebe's POV
They came down looking like naughty schoolgirls – which I guess they were. Light blushes colored their cheeks as they grinned embarrassedly and tried not look at each other. I shook my head, smirking. They were just so fun when they had done something very bad. I knew I had to try and get them back in the moment- I had realized something important.
"I think I know what's going on," I said simply, catching their attention immediately. "That girl that we saw- the one I was trying to save? I think she's our sister." Their mouths dropped open in shock.
"But…we don't have any other sisters!" Piper spluttered confusedly.
"Before the funeral, the attorney guy, the one who read the will to us? He gave me a letter from Grams."
"You got a letter from Grams? And you didn't tell us?" Prue seemed hurt.
"There wasn't exactly a good moment. Would you have liked it before or after we vanquished Santiago? Or maybe during Katie's visit? Our lives have been so up in the air recently, I didn't want to stir them up even more." Piper nodded, understanding. She placed a consoling hand on Prue's arm and she visibly calmed. "Anyway, here: read it for yourself." I handed over the slightly crumpled piece of paper and waited as they slowly read it, and again, as if they hadn't quite believed it the first time.
"She…she had an affair? We have another sister?" I nodded.
"I think I've been trying to find her: today I'm supposed to succeed. Well, maybe not in taking her home, but at least I'll get to see her…" I trailed off, thinking. I saw Piper and Prue exchange a glance out of the corner of my eye.
"Sweetie, why do you need another sister? Isn't two enough?" Piper prodded. I hadn't thought about that – why did I want so badly to find her? I just felt like I had to, but I knew the reasons.
"Piper…things have changed: we've changed. You and Prue are together and I've lost everyone else. Nobody spends time with me anymore. I guess I just felt that having someone else in my life, someone who wouldn't run away from me, someone who's family and who I can share everything with without having our huge secret hanging over my head. I guess I thought that would be nice." Piper's eyes widened at my words, I could tell all this hadn't occurred to her. I tried not to feel to hurt that she hadn't considered what all this was doing to me, she must have…
"You feel all that?" Piper asked in a small voice, I could tell she was afraid of the answer.
"Not really, not yet, but I think I always knew I would eventually." Piper looked like she was about to cry, I wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing. I was so confused.
"Do you know where you can find her…Paige?" Prue was trying to keep on top of the situation, as usual, she even made an effort to use Paige's name. I watched as she put her arm around Piper, trying to comfort her and felt slightly cold. Wasn't anyone going to comfort me?
"My diary," I murmured before running back up the stairs. I pushed open my bedroom door and began rifling through my desk, searching for the diary Piper had given me when I'd turned twelve. My handwriting had become legible by then and she'd thought I'd need a place to write things down. At first, I wouldn't touch it. I thanked her and told her I loved it, of course, but I didn't write anything. I didn't feel like I could. But after a month or two, all my pent-up emotions needed an outlet.
I heard Piper and Prue come into my room, but I didn't look up, still searching frantically for the stupid book. How could it have just disappeared like this?
"Okay, maybe I'm being stupid but what does your diary have to do with anything?" Prue asked. "Is there something I don't know? Cuz, I mean, I never really had a diary as a kid so…"
"She writes everything in it," Piper said simply.
"Exactly," I confirmed. "I write everything in it. If that hasn't changed, I would have everything about finding Paige in here. Finding out who adopted her, her friends, the places she frequents, and so on. Kinda stalker-ish, yeah, but all useful stuff."
"Kinda stalker-ish?" Prue asked. "Pheebs, that's full-on stalker mode. And the way you talk about it, it sounds like you've done if before." I blushed a little, remembering the guy I'd stalked for a few weeks back in our own time.
"Ah ha!" I finally found the diary under my mattress. "Finally. Why the hell would I hide it here?"
"Pheebs!" Prue scolded. I waved it off. My swearing was the least of our worries right now. I flipped through the entries, vaguely surprised at how well my handwriting had improved over the years.
I found the first entry regarding Paige. It was on my seventeenth birthday. I sat down on bed, leaning against the headboard and started to read.
Friday, November 2, 1992
Happy birthday to me! I'm finally seventeen! But sadly, still boyfriend-less. Hm…
Anyways, today was a pretty good day. I found Ella and a reluctant Marianne waiting for me by my locker. Ella gave me the cutest little teddy bear and Marianne handed me a water bottle filled with vodka. I was surprised she'd gotten it past security but didn't say anything. I just thanked her and rinsed it down the sink in the nearest bathroom as soon as she left.
When I got home, Prue and Piper had decorated the entire house with streamers and balloons. I was surprised but not too much. They'd done the same thing the past three years. Of course, I can't say I didn't enjoy it. It was nice to see that they cared for me.
We went out to dinner at Bennigan's, my choice. When we got home, we had the cake Piper had baked. Then, she and Prue rushed off to do God-knows-what. I went up to my room, turned up the radio really loud, and decided that this was the year I'd finally open the letter Grams had given me in her will. I opened it and read it and couldn't believe it.
I have another sister. And Grams wants me to find her.
At first, I wasn't too thrilled at the prospect of finding another sister but as I thought about it…Piper and Prue haven't really been around lately anyways. They're in a relationship and all of over each other constantly. And while it's kinda sweet, it's also still pretty weird. It would be nice to have someone else to talk to. A sister. A friend.
Her name is Paige.
Monday, November 5, 1992
I told Leo about Paige today. I made him swear he wouldn't tell my sisters and he reluctantly agreed, though he keeps saying he thinks that'd it would be best if I tell them. Whatever, he's a Whitelighter and he's supposed to help witches. I asked him to help me and he has to, whether he likes it or not. So, he agreed to talk to the Elders for me and see what they know, if anything.
I've been looking through school records at the high school, she's gotta be fourteen or fifteen, and probably a freshman in high school. Luckily, I work as a TA during my free period and was able to peruse through the students' files without much suspicion directed toward me.
But of course, I found about fifty Paiges and without a last name, all I could do was narrow it down to freshman which still leaves me with about twelve Paiges to go through. How would I know which one was her anyway? Would my witchy senses go crazy or something? I just don't know. I've never had to do anything like this…
Paige where are you?
I flicked through a couple of pages about my talking to the Paiges and trying to work out what my half-sister would be like, what kind of history she would have to make me realize who she was.
Tuesday, November 13th, 1992
I think I've found her: her name is Paige Matthews. I'm trying to act normal around her, so she won't freak out. I'm just trying to get her to open up to me – to be friends. She's quite a rebel, kinda reminds me of me: definitely a family trait. It's great to have someone to hang around with again, with Marianne in rehab for drinking. I think we always knew that was gonna happen – even before I could see the future. Ella's kinda been distant lately too – new boyfriend. Enough said.
Anyways, Piper and Prue were hogging the bathroom again today, I really don't want to think about what they were doing in there but it's just getting annoying to have to wait outside until they're done. I don't mean that in a sexual sense…or at least I hope I don't.
I have to go – Prue's yelling me down for dinner. I hope Paige is at school tomorrow, I can never tell whether she's gonna turn up or not!
I smiled a little – couldn't help it. The next few pages talked about getting to know Paige, her finally opening up to me and telling me about her past. She was abandoned at birth and she didn't know who her real parents were, she told me that one day she wanted to find them – find her family. I wrote about how hard it was not to just tell her everything, but my knowing that she was not ready yet. I flicked over a few months and stopped on a page I'd written yesterday.
Sunday, April 16, 1993
I asked Paige to meet me in town today, said it was a shopping trip. After a few hours we stopped at a café and I just sat her down and told her everything: Grams, mom, her dad, mine, our powers…She thought I was joking. I think I would have thought so too but I told her it was all real and that was when she freaked. She just ran from me. I felt like she's physically slapped me across the face. She's just rejected everything I am, everything she is!
I tried calling after her but she wouldn't stop, so I just picked her stuff up and told myself I would go and see her when she'd cooled down a bit. That was when it happened: I had a premonition of her and this really ugly demon. She was out cold and he was dragging her down a load of tunnels…I knew as soon as I saw it that I had to stop it. Otherwise I'll never know what it's like to have a sister again.
Piper gasped quietly at the words, I closed my eyes but we couldn't do this now – there was more.
I looked up the demon I saw in the BOS and I couldn't believe it. She couldn't have been kidnapped by a worse demon! His name is Balthazar and apart from being extremely ugly, he's also an upper-level soldier of fortune. Why couldn't she have been kidnapped by trolls or something? I can handle trolls! I really don't want to bring my sisters in on this one – there'd be too many questions. About Paige, about me, about everything I've been doing lately. I can't face the "Why didn't you tell us?" and the "What did we do wrong?" shit. I just can't. Not today.
The vanquish might be a bit difficult – I need a bit of demon flesh. His demon flesh. Which means I have to face him unarmed. The thought leaves a pit of doubt at the bottom of my stomach but I have to do this.
Paige needs me.