Alyssa Lillianfield was slender and tall with sandy blonde hair that flowed to the middle of her back. She was a little younger than I am, and those innocent eyes were kind but knowing Phoebe, she also had an inner fire to her. Her grandmother didn't seem surprised of our shocked looks.
"Do I know you?" Alyssa placed the stack of books and vials on a nearby shelf.
"I'm Shannen, and this is Kyle, my…" I seemed lost for words. He's not my husband. He's not my boyfriend. I don't think I'd call him a friend. He's…
"I'm her mother's whitelighter. Hello, Elizabeth. You've been taken care of yourself?"
The older woman lifted her spectacles and stared at Kyle. "No FBI cover, huh, Kyle? I can still change you into a toad." In life, Kyle had been an FBI agent, but secretly, he was after the avatars and their questionable actions. Kyle smiled. "Alyssa, I they need to see you."
"Why?" Alyssa glanced at her watch. "My lunch is over. I have to go back…"
"They don't care if you work there or home. They barely notice you there in the first place. Let them explain why they're here. We depend on it." Elizabeth seemed to know the reason.
"Grams, what do you know? Did you see anything? I hate when you have premonitions, and I can't!"
Her, too? "Pardon me, you don't have any powers…active powers?"
"No. It figures. The only child and no active powers." She chomped on her gum. She was aggravated, and this was an old argument. I wondered if Piper and Paige were similar—only children and no active powers. The only way we'll receive our Charmed powers would be all four of us next to the Book.
Kyle was ready for the next step. "Would you come with us? It would take five minutes. If this doesn't pan out, we'll take you back to your office, and you can go back to your office."
"I..I..don't..know.."
"Your grandmother can come too. Right, Lizzie?"
"Kyle, you know I hate when you call me, Lizzie. I haven't been to San Francisco in years! I love to."
"San Francisco? Grams, we can't afford…"
"I'll take care of the flight plan," Kyle reassured Alyssa. She nodded hesitantly, and Elizabeth held her hand. Kyle intertwined his fingers with Elizabeth, as if they had been old friends. We orbed, and in a matter of seconds, we returned to San Francisco and our attic.
Elizabeth and Alyssa released their hands from Kyle, and Elizabeth looked out the window. "Oh, how I love San Francisco. It's been so long!"
"Grams, we're in San Francisco, CALIFORNIA! How did this happen?"
"It's called orbing. Whitelighters can move from one location to the next. We need to do this to help witches like you and your grandmother."
"I'm not a witch…"
It was time for me to start talking. "You are. Like me. I was an only child and I, too, don't have active powers. " I walked to the Book of Shadows. "This is a book of witchcraft and a family history. Our family history. We're cousins, see?" Alyssa moved to where I was standing. "This is me, Shannen Aster, and this is you, Alyssa Lillianfield." Alyssa touched my name and then hers. "We're family. Now, this is a prophecy that one of our ancestors saw. It's a premonition on a bigger scale. We..I think.. you are part of the solution."
Alyssa read the prophecy, her lips mouthing the words. She raised her hand to touch the lettering like I did, and the same shock jolted her body near to the spot I had been too. I crouched next to her.
Alyssa rubbed her head and stared at me bewilderedly. "Prue?"
"Hi, Phoebe. Welcome Home."