CHAPTER NINETEEN

Paige grinned. "Prue raised a brow and said that the room at P3 was sounding better and better and actually grinned seductively at Chris!"

And we both cried out, "EWWWWWWWW!"

"Oh, poor Chris!" I cried, although I had a hard time not giggling at the situation. "Here he's thinking that the worst thing that could happen was being kicked out, but if she truly looked at him that way, he must've realized he was wrong. Trying to get out of having an affair with his own aunt without giving away his secret was definitely worse!"

Paige nodded then happily remembered what happened next. "He looked over at me and mouthed the word 'Help'," and I smiled for her, even as I again felt that twinge of jealousy over the relationship they must have in the future. "So I decided to sleep on the couch, but Prue said that if anyone was going to sleep on the couch it would be her, but Piper declared that it was going to be her and that I could have her room tonight." She grinned again. "And I got to see Prue in General Prue mode. She declared that tomorrow we would build a new room for her up in the attic, and there was no questioning her!"

I grinned back. "Yep. That's General Prue!"."

"And then Chris said he was glad that was settled and mouthed 'Thank you' to me," and I grinned, knowing how happy that must've made her. "Then I told Piper that it wasn't really necessary. I don't mind sleeping on the couch, but she told me that it was the least she could do for blowing me off earlier."

And my eyes misted. "Oh! That sounds so like Piper!"

She nodded. "And then Chris winked at me and said he had told me I had nothing to worry about, and, oh, Phoebs, I don't know if I've ever felt happier, because I've never felt more loved!"

I hugged her tight. "I'm glad, because you are!"

"And then I told him that he didn't have anything to worry about either, and I looked right at Piper."

"Oh, I hope you're right," I said fervently, and she nodded. "What happened next?" I wanted to know.

"Well, that's when Leo orbed in with Mist. He introduced her, and, Phoebs, Piper said that she remembered her."

"She did? I didn't think she remembered much of anything from Valhalla."

"I didn't think so either, but Mist must've made quite an impression on her, and Mist told her that she remembered her, too. So then Piper wanted to know why the hell had Leo brought a Valkyrie here to the Manor and he said he had an offer for Prue, and he'd let Mist explain it."

Of course, I knew what that offer was, but since I hadn't told anyone about my and Leo's conversation, I let her tell me.

"Mist said the way she saw it, Prue had two choices. She could either remain a Charmed One, and most likely just die again within the next couple of days or become a Valkyrie. Piper's the one who made the logical deduction." And I grinned. That's Piper. "Mist told Prue that as a Valkyrie she'd have great stamina and endurance, and then looked at Chris and asked him if that was right."

"Oh, poor Chris! He must've just felt like crawling under a rock."'

Paige nodded, grinning. "Or just throwing one at Leo when he snickered. But Prue came to his rescue; she told them both to quit embarrassing him!"

I grinned. "Way to go, Prue! What did Mist or Leo say?"

"Mist shrugged and said that sexual stamina is something to be proud of, not embarrassed by," and suddenly being a Valkyrie sounded pretty good to me, too. "Then she added that there were other perks. As a Valkyrie, Prue would be almost-immortal--Death would be off her back until after the Great End Battle."

"What did Prue decide?" I asked, wanting to know exactly what I'd missed while I was at that party.

"She decided that she wanted to find out more about the Valkyries first. By the look on her face while Mist was talking, I think she liked the idea, but wasn't certain if she could trust Mist," and I grinned--that sounded so much like Prue. "So Piper told her that there's an entry about them in the Book of Shadows." Paige was smiling ear-to-ear, so I knew something good must've happened next. "Prue was about to go up to the attic to get it, so I told her she didn't have to. She looked at me questioningly, so I held out my arms and summoned the Book. Oh, you should've seen the look on Prue's face when the Book orbed into my hands. Phoebs, Prue thinks my power's cool!"

"Well, of course it is!" I insisted, surprised that she ever thought otherwise.

She nodded. "Yeah, but this was different."

"It is? How?"

She smiled, remembering. "It was like, wow, this witch who I've been envying ever since I first found out I was a witch myself thinks my power is cool!! That was as good as the news about Glen!"

I waited, and she grinned. "Well, almost…." and I grinned back. "So I opened the Book to the entry about the Valkyries and passed the Book back to Prue. She read the entry, while Piper and I continued to ask questions. I wanted to know how long she had to make up her mind." I already knew the response to that, but let Paige tell me anyway. "Mist said that if she was going to do it, she'd have to leave by midnight tonight," and I nodded sadly. "Well, Prue finished reading the passage and asked Piper what she thought."

"What did Piper say?"

Paige grinned. "She thought being a Valkyrie beats the heck out of dying!" and I laughed. "Oh, then, Phoebs, she asked me what I thought. I couldn't believe she was asking me! I hardly know her."

I'd been pouting that I wasn't consulted, but now smiled, knowing my big sister. "As far as Prue's concern, it wouldn't matter," I pointed out with a shrug. "You're still our sister."

Paige nodded with a smile. "That's exactly what she said."

"And what did you say?"

"That I really don't want to lose a sister, right when I was getting to know her. But that would happen either way, so I voted that she gets to live!" and I nodded, smiling, still wishing I'd had a chance to put my own two cents in, even if it would just be to make the vote unanimous. "So Prue declared that, 'Well, then let's do it!' ", and that sounded a lot like my big sister, too. "So Mist nodded towards Leo, who handed Prue the Valkyrie pendant. Prue put it on and, well, you saw her," and I nodded, thinking how wonderful my big sister looked as a Valkyrie. Paige was still talking. "Prue looked herself over. 'Cool!' and we agreed," and I couldn't disagree, even though I continued to pout, because not only was I not consulted, but I didn't get to see Prue's transformation.

"Then Mist told her that she'd give her the chance to say good-bye to her sisters," Paige continued. "But she'd be back a little before midnight. Prue had to be ready to go or she would become a witch again, back on Death's list, and a portal opened and Mist left."

"So what happened next?" I demanded, determined to find out what all I'd missed while I was at that freakin' party. "Don't leave out anything!"