Phoebe stopped dead and Paige nearly walked into her. Confused, Paige looked at the very familiar looking woman standing beside her oldest sister.
Her oldest living sister.
"Hey." Prue said softly into the silent attic.
Nothing better than vanquishing demons to keep him occupied. Besides if he didn't, they'd probably attack him and his family sooner or later anyway, assuming he was born of course. Might as well get it over with now as opposed to when they interfered with the Halliwell's lives. That wouldn't do at all, now, would it? He orbed away.
Silence reigned in the Halliwell attic. Silence was rare in the Halliwell manor. With three sisters, a baby under a year, noise was a certainty. Add in hordes of rampaging dark forces attacking the home at all hours of the day and night, heedless of any furniture or people in their path, and more often than not, the noise level increased dramatically above their law-abiding neighbours. Absolute, prolonged silence was a rarity and usually enjoyed.
But not today.
Phoebe was frozen, rather as if she had been subjected to Piper's freezing power. Her tanned face had drained of colour and she just stared at the scene in front of her, her brain struggling to process what her eyes were telling her. Behind her, Paige was equally astonished, recognising the face of her oldest sister and unable to believe she was standing right in front of her.
Piper smiled. She couldn't help it. She felt slightly giddy. She reached out and caught Prue's hand, which startled her; she'd been staring at her baby sisters.
"It's her" Piper answered the unasked question. She had to clear her throat and speak again. "It's her" she repeated, unable to stop her watery smile growing wider. "Chris summoned her."
"Chris?" Paige said, startled, giving Piper a confused look.
But Phoebe wasn't listening.
"Prue?" she whispered, still in the same place, as though she'd grown roots.
"Hey Pheebs" Prue smiled hesitantly. "I like your hair." She gave a cheeky grin. "And I must say I really approve of your job. You listen to people whining and tell them what to do. It's so you."
Prue was rather nervous. Piper was one thing; they'd always gotten along. And while she and Phoebe had grown closer over the years, teasing each other came naturally. She hoped it would break the ice and snap Phoebe out of her daze. It was unnerving to see her baby sister so stunned.
Phoebe's heart was pounding. Oh please please please. If it wasn't-if she wasn't real-she shut her eyes as emotions assailed her. There was a faint trace from Piper and Paige, but the empathy potion was still working. The majority came from the woman in front of her-uncertainty, longing, deep love-her eyes flew open.
"Phoebe?" Prue had stepped closer to her in concern. Her grey eyes met Phoebe's. She took another, cautious step. "Are you-?"
Prue let out a startled exclamation as Phoebe pounced on her big sister, flinging her arms around her neck and sent her staggering back. Clinging to her like a drowning person, Phoebe buried her head into her shoulder, shaking. Prue wrapped her own arms around her sister and pushed her face into her sister's hair, rubbing circles on her back.
Phoebe's body shook. She just clung to the frame of her big sister, her breathing hitching as she fought tears. She sniffed as she lost the battle and the tears slid down her cheeks. She pressed her face into Prue's hair. "I missed you" she breathed, inhaling her elder sister's familiar scent for the first time in years.
"I missed you too" Prue whispered, her voice catching. "So much." She squeezed her tighter before pulling back slightly. Phoebe was reluctant to break away, but she stared into the achingly familiar grey eyes that were sparkling with tears.
"My little sister" Prue was smiling, albeit a watery smile. "My very successful, smart, creative celebrity sister, who once upon a time was worried she'd never get a job."
"I always wondered what you would have thought about my job" Phoebe sniffed.
"I'm so proud of what you've achieved sweetie" Prue hugged her again. "Everything you achieved." She met her eyes, and Phoebe understood that she meant about her whole life, not just her career.
Prue slowly pulled away from her reluctant sister and turned to face her other sisters. Piper had her arm wrapped around her baby sister and was resting her head on Paige's shoulder watching her and Phoebe with a smile on her face. Paige looked shaken as she stared at the sister she believed she wouldn't meet until she met death herself.
Arm around Phoebe, Prue smiled at Paige. Despite the dyed hair, Paige was definitely a Halliwell in looks. The hair, eyes, cheekbones, build. Not to mention her stubbornness, courage and personality.
"Hey baby sister" Prue smiled and let go of Phoebe for now. Phoebe, the empath that she was, stepped away.
Paige's mouth was dry. This was Prue Halliwell. The sister who had died before they could meet, the one she had compared herself with and felt so inadequate against during the early days of her witch life.
"Hey big sister" she replied softly, her mind racing. Oh God, what should she say? What should she do?
Prue smiled at her youngest sister and moved over to her.
"I'm sorry we never got the chance to meet before" Prue said quietly. "I wish you could have grown up with us."
Paige blinked hard and swallowed. She gave a jerky nod. "I would have liked that" she said softly. Her adoptive parents had been wonderful, but growing up with her sisters? She would have loved that. She voiced a thought that had been with her ever since she'd become a witch. "I hope I was a worthy replacement."
The proclaimed Super Witch pursed her lips at her youngest sister then smiled. "You were worthy, don't worry about that. But you weren't a replacement. You were you're own person, not a replacement of me. You have your own place."
"You don't still think that?" Piper queried the baby of the sisters incredulously.
Paige blushed and looked sheepish. "Not really, but..."
Prue chuckled and stepped forward to her sister. Almost as one, they wrapped their arms around each other in a hug.
"No thinking like that anymore" Prue chided good-naturedly, hugging Paige tightly. "You're a damn good witch and you're not to think any differently."
Paige laughed. "Yes Mam" hugging back hard, savouring the feeling in her chest.
Prue pressed her head against her baby sister's and smiled. She felt Piper wrap her arms around herself and Paige on one side, and Phoebe on the other. Pulling away slightly, she opened her arms and pulled them in. The Halliwell sisters clung to one another finally united.
A/N: Ugh, an update. FINALLY! Please forgive me for the long delay. I've been incredibly busy. I've had exams that are now over and have now been accepted into college. Add exams, several funerals, job hunting and sheer laziness together and you get a delayed update. I apologise for the wait and I'll try update faster. Please give me your opinions and review. Slan!