-24-
As the white lights slowly faded around the Millers and Halliwells and their feet touched the ground, Patricia Halliwell released Kate and Piper's hands, allowing them to look around at the familiar sight that met their eyes. They were standing in the center of the Miller Mansion's beautiful, sunlit conservatory, but this room looked different than they all remembered. The three younger Millers looked around, unable to hide their confusion and spotting unusual couches and tables placed around the room. Heather, however, stared around with wide eyes as she realised what time she was in and told her sisters.
"This was what the house looked like when I was really young. Before Mom and Dad…" Her voice faded away, but a new sound quickly erupted beside them as they were startled by the loud cry of a very young baby to their right. They all turned quickly, looking around for the source of the noise and when they saw it, four jaws dropped. "Oh my God," Heather whispered, seeing at last, a hand raising to her mouth. "It's Lucy."
The others slowly approached and stared into the small, hand-carved wooden cradle that was nestled between the sofa and a loveseat and looked upon the tiny, recently-born Lucy. The baby did not notice them at all, but continued to shout out as they watched. She looked to be only a couple of weeks old with small tufts of light brown hair covering her soft head, and her big eyes shone an astonishing blue that contrasted her hair sharply. Her tiny, smooth face and minute hands were at the moment scrunched up and her mouth was open in an earsplitting wail that would make any baby proud.
Before anyone could make another move, the sound of bare feet pattering on a hard wooden floor was heard, and everyone turned to see a small girl race into the room, clutching a doll in her chubby arms, her red hair streaming behind her. Another gasp was issued from an astonished Miller's lips, this time from Sam. She stood beside her oldest sister, clucting her arm, and watched her five-year-old self skid to a halt in front of the cradle.
After several futile attempts to quiet the baby with shushing noises, the young Samantha yelled over her shoulder, "Mommy! Lucy's crying and she won't stop! She hungry, I guess!" Samantha didn't show any sign of seeing nine unfamiliar people in the room standing quite close to her, and instead she was focused intently on the baby. Within moments, she carefully passed her doll into the reaching arms of her baby sister. "Here, Luce. You can have my dolly. No cry! No cry!"
The young Lucy's hands immediatly closed upon the doll and pulled it into a hug, instantly putting its plush head into her mouth and sucking on it happily, tears shining on her face. "See? All better," Sam smiled down at her young sister as a woman entered the room, carrying a warmed bottle of milk and a towel in her arms. "Mommy, see?" Sam pointed down into the cradle with a chuckle of laughter when she realized that she was not alone in the room. "Lucy no cry no more. All better."
Kate's sharp intake of breath caused Heather to reach over and clasp her hand as they watched their mother stride across the room to her young daughters. Laurel Miller was a lovely, beautiful young woman, barely 29-years-of age with long, flowing brown hair that was currently tightly French braided in tied-together pigtails, which made her look even younger than she was. Her long fingers and gentle hands resembled Heather's and she carried herself in the same confident manner as Kate did, while at the same time, carried an expression of utmost love, similar to that of Sam. She was of medium height and slender, exactly the same build as Lucy with a perfectly curved body, muscular from fighting countless demons and warlocks, and from her active role of raising four daughters. Laurel's perfect lips fluttered in a smile as she saw what her five-year old daughter had done to make her baby sister happy. Reaching the cradle at last, she knelt and scooped up Sam in her arms, hugging her close. When she spoke, her soft, caressing voice brought a lump to the throats of the present day Millers.
"What a wonderful sister little Lucy has! You shared your favorite dolly with her, I see. How nice of you! What a compassionate little one you are!"
The young girl squirmed with embarrassment in her mother's arms, but it was clear that she was pleased with the praise as she threw her arms around Laurel's neck and hugged her back. "Well, she cry, and I no want that. Me want Luce to be happy like us." Sam turned her head up to look into her mother's eyes. "When can Lucy come to play with me and Kate?" She asked, in a way only an innocent youngling can.
Laurel laughed lightly, her deep brown eyes twinkling. "Not for a few years yet, Sammie. She has to grow big and strong like you!" A soft finger prodded Samantha in the stomach, causing the girl to giggle and wiggle to get out of her mother's embrace.
"Stop it, Mommy! I's ticklish!"
"Ticklish, eh?" Laurel teased, tickling Sam even more, her arms clamped onto her tightly. The young girl squealed in glee as her mother played with her.
"Let me go, Mommy!" Sam shrieked, a wide grin plastering her face. She managed at last to wiggle out of Laurel's grasp and she scampered away, calling over her shoulder, "When Lucy done with my dolly, will you bring it back to me?"
"Of course, sweetheart!" Laurel called back, watching as her daughter sprinted around the corner of the room, skidding on the wooden floor in her socks. Shaking her head, she turned to her baby, cooing lovingly, "What a silly girl! Here, precious. I brought you a bottle of your favorite milk." Lucy's piercing blue eyes gazed up at Laurel as she pulled the doll from her mouth and grabbed the bottle instead with her tiny hands, inserting it into her mouth and sucking on it noisily, but contentedly without a fuss. "There we go," Laurel whispered, tucking a blanket snugly around her daughter, stroaking the soft hair gently and lovingly.
"What a sweetling you have, Laurel," came a voice from the doorway. Everyone; the Millers, Halliwells and Laurel, turned to see another young woman entering the room. She was slightly older than Laurel, but only by a few years. Her soft brown hair fell to her shoulders, full, healthy and wavy, surrounding her smooth, intelligent face gracefully. The smile across her lovely face was wide and gentle and caused her brown eyes to crinkle at the corners.
Laurel smiled at the sight of her and held out her arms. "How did you come, Patty?"
The present Millers gasped and turned to look at the present day Patty, their mouths open. She nodded, smiling slightly, but slight grief shone in her eyes. The Halliwell sisters had recognised their mother immediately but had not said anything, too busy watching the events unfolding.
"How I always do, my friend. Orbed. Well, Sam sent me, anyway." The past Patty responded, crossing to the cradle and embracing Laurel before looking upon Lucy, her hands on the side of the wood. "What a little darling! My Phoebe is almost three now, you know, and very active!"
Laurel's face brightened at the mention of the young Halliwell child. "Is she? Oh, how wonderful! How are Prue and Piper? Oh, they must be getting to be big by now! It's been so long since I've seen them!"
"They are getting quite big," agreed Patty, then added, "They miss you, Laurel. You know, as their godmother you really should come to visit them more often. Greg can watch the girls. Men aren't totally useless when it comes to their children."
"Godmother?" Prue whispered out loud, but no one heard her, or if they did made any comment. They were all watching the two witches from the past with all their attention.
"I just can't stand leaving the girls alone, Patty," Laurel replied, her smile fading a bit and her hand reacing down to stroak Lucy's head again. "After those two demons…It's just too much of a danger now."
Patty put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Oh, pish tosh. You know very well that Greg can protect them, and call you if he needs you. It would only be for a short time. You wouldn't be away from them long. It has been a while since those attacks on Kate and Heather. They have forgotten about it. Perhaps you should as well? I know that it's hard when it was your children they were after, but really. You need to get out."
Laurel's amber eyes dropped slightly, tempted. "I suppose you're right." She sighed heavily. "I still can't believe I left them without protection. Poor Kate was badly injured. It's really thanks to Mindi that she's alive. I don't know what I would do without her. She is a wonderful whitelighter for the girls. She just wans't around to help them to safety. I just with I had been there..." She sighed again. Then, in an effort to change the subject, she said, in a falsly bright voice, "The girls will want to see you!" Eagerly, she turned to the staircase and called out, "Heather! Katie! Sammie! Aunt Patty is here!"
The present day Kate sank to her knees at last, pulling Heather with her. She had been feeling weak since Patty had started talking about the demon attacks. Now, her mind was buzzing. "Aunt?" She whispered as her other sisters got down to their level as well, and the four held each other tightly, as the sound similar to a heard of elephants crashing through a jungle announced the arrival of the three Miller girls from the past and from the upstairs level. Squeals and shouts echoed throughout the house as the young girls pounded into the room at last, jumping onto each other and shrieking.
"Aunt Patty! Aunt Patty!" The past Heather and Sam threw themselves on the Halliwell matriarch at once, but the past Kate held back shyly, her eyes dropped and her cheeks slightly red. Patty knelt with open arms to embrace her godchildren.
"Hello, my darlings! Oh, I've missed you so!" Realising she had only two of the three children, she looked up over Heather's shoulder and saw Kate hugging her mother's leg, staring at her, too shy to go to greet her aunt. Patty motioned lightly with her graceful hand, beckoning the young girl to come to her. "Come here, Kate my sweet. Do I not get a hug from you?"
Slowly, Kate untangled herself from her mother and, with a slight bit of encouragement from Laurel, who pushed her lightly and said, "Go on, my dear. Don't be shy." Kate trudged her way slowly to Patty, then put her arms around her neck, hugging her tightly and not saying a word the entire time, but Patty new that the young girl was happy to see her. Her eyes revealed it. Patty drew Kate close and hugged her tightly, inhaling the scent of her hair and held the three children tightly to her, basking in their love and trust.