Disclaimer: Charmed is still not mine.
A/n: Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm so glad that everyone is enjoying this story. I hope it continues to please.
Katie
Setting: November/December 2006
Coming Home
"You can never go home again, but the truth is you can never leave home, so it's all right."
Maya Angelou
Nine: Running Interference
Paige and Henry had arrived back at the house to find Phoebe and Coop sitting awkwardly in the living room and to hear what sounded like Piper and Leo yelling at each other upstairs. Grammy was no where to be seen. The entire situation made Paige uneasy. Perhaps Piper had been right and something was up.
"Please, please tell me that Piper and Leo are just arguing over who forgot to bring the Christmas presents or something," said Paige as she collapsed onto the couch next to Phoebe.
"I could tell you that," said Phoebe. "But it would be a lie." Phoebe glanced at Coop and then said, "Leo is your grandmother's brother and Piper told her the truth and made Leo talk to her. Your grandma and Leo had a huge fight and now Piper and Leo are fighting. There, you're all up to date."
Paige gawked at her sister. She didn't think she had felt this blindsided since Phoebe and Piper had dragged her up to the attic and forced her to read the spell to vanquish Shax.
"I know I'm a little slow on the uptake," said Henry, "but what's the fighting about? Shouldn't this be something exciting? You know, a double family reunion."
"How would you feel if some relative of yours that you thought was dead suddenly popped up alive and well?" asked Phoebe. Henry blanched at the comment, but Paige didn't feel up to asking him why.
"Point taken," said Henry absently.
"Well this is just great," said Paige. "I wanted one nice, peaceful Christmas with my whole family, and now everyone's fighting."
"What are the odds you can sort this out?" asked Phoebe.
"Me?" said Paige. "Why me?"
"Well, she's your grandmother. Can't you talk to her? I mean, you understand where Leo's coming from, right?"
"Yeah, I guess," said Paige. She groaned. "Fine. I'll talk to her. I'll try to convince her to talk to Leo. Hopefully Piper will calm him down a little."
Eventually, Paige offered to go find Grammy to try to talk to her. Phoebe promised to keep Leo around if she saw him try to storm out of the house. The more she thought about it, the more Paige realized that she didn't mind trying to play peacemaker. After all, Leo had helped her with Piper and Phoebe when they had first met. As strange as it was, perhaps now Paige could return the favor. She headed down to the den, Grammy's sanctuary, and knocked on the door. "Grammy?" she said.
"Please go away, Paige," said Grammy. "I just want to be alone for a little while."
"Grammy, you've been in there for hours. Please let me in. I just want to talk."
There was silence in response, which Paige took as an affirmative (Grammy would certainly make it known if she wanted Paige to leave). She opened the door and entered the room; Grammy was sitting in one of the chairs across the room, an old photo album open on her lap. Paige crossed the room and knelt on the floor next to her grandmother.
"I take it you heard what happened," said Grammy.
"Yeah," said Paige. She smiled. "You go for one walk and look what you miss." Unfortunately, Grammy did not respond to the humor.
"I know you're upset, Grammy. Anyone would be. That's a huge thing to find out. And magic on top of it? I know how hard that is."
Grammy finally looked at her, putting a hand against her cheek. "Can you do magic too, sweetheart?"
Paige hesitated, but only for a moment. "Yes," she said. "And it's the best thing that's happened to me. I wouldn't have Piper and Phoebe if it hadn't been for magic. Grammy, I wouldn't exist if it wasn't for magic."
"What do you mean?" asked Grammy.
"My biological dad was a Whitelighter," said Paige. "Like Leo. He was my biological mom's Whitelighter. That's how they met." Unconsciously, Paige was sure, Grammy drew back a little. "They had to give me up because of the rules about witches and Whitelighters."
"More rules," said Grammy huffily.
"Yes," said Paige. "They're big on rules. You have no idea how hard Piper and Leo had to fight to be together."
Grammy snorted. "So he'll break those rules," she said.
"It's not like that, Grammy," said Paige. "I know you're mad at him, but try to think of it from his point of view. He lost everything too, Grammy. When he died he had to leave behind his family and friends. If he had tried to find you, tried to stay in contact, they would have sent him on or recycled his soul."
"That's what Leo said," said Grammy, clearly still skeptical.
"So you know," said Paige. "Either way he would have lost you. At least as a Whitelighter he was able to do good for a lot of years."
"But he hasn't been a…a Whitelighter for two years now. So the rules shouldn't have applied any more."
"They made Leo choose between Piper and the kids and being a Whitelighter," said Paige. "For a lot of different reasons I'm not going to get into right now. And Leo chose Piper. About seven months later, Leo was taken from us to motivate Piper to fight in a battle. She only just got him back six months ago. So the past two years haven't exactly been blissful."
Grammy shook her head, this time clearly disgusted. "I don't know about this magic," she said. "It's sounds as though it can be very cruel."
Paige smiled. "Now you sound like Piper. She blames magic for a lot of what's gone wrong in her life."
For a moment, Grammy looked as though she wanted to pursue this, but then the indication passed. Still feeling as though her grandmother was angry and skeptical, Paige said, "I can really relate to Leo, you know?"
"What do you mean?"
"Just the idea of having to choose between people, or cutting people out of your life. I have been pulling away from the family, Grammy. But it's not because I stopped loving you all. It's because the magic—what my sisters and I do—is so hard to explain. And it's so dangerous. So it was just easier to compartmentalize. To not let my two lives mix. And I think Leo's the same way. How could he have explained everything to you? Look how you're struggling with it; it seems like he was right to let you go."
"I wouldn't go that far," said Grammy. She looked at Paige stubbornly, but then her face softened and she sighed. "I'm just so overwhelmed. And hurt. I love Leo so much. To know he's been alive all of these years and hasn't tried to contact me… It's hard."
"I know, Grammy," said Paige. "But just try to forgive him. Now that you've found each other, you don't want to lose him again, do you?"
Grammy shook her head. "No."
"Good," said Paige. She got to her feet and bent to hug her grandmother.
"You grew up so well, Paige," said Grammy. "Your parents would be proud."
Paige smiled. "Thanks, Grammy. That means a lot."
Grammy stood, and in the process, the album in her lap fell to the floor. Paige bent to pick it up and looked at it curiously. "Photos?" she asked, opening the album. Inside were pictures she had never seen; very old black and whites.
"Me," said Grammy, "and Leo when were little. And a lot of our parents and the family."
"Oh my gosh," said Paige. "This is fantastic. You have to show this to Piper." Grammy grunted, and Paige looked at her inquiringly. "What?"
"It's just…" Grammy sighed. "The last time I saw Leo he was happily married to Lillian. It's odd to see him with Piper. It seems…wrong."
"Piper and Leo are soul mates," said Paige. "Literally. They were destined to be together. And you'd like Piper if you gave her a chance. She'd love to see this album. She knows nothing about Leo's life before he became a Whitelighter and she's always been curious."
"Okay," said Grammy, but Paige wasn't sure if she was agreeing to give Piper a chance or if she was simply acknowledging Paige's point of view. Still, if Piper and Leo were staying, Grammy was bound to come around.
"Where is Leo?" asked Grammy.
"Upstairs," said Paige. She didn't add that the last she had heard, he had been arguing with Piper.
Grammy smiled sadly. "Wish me luck," she said.
"Good luck, Grammy," said Paige.