Chapter 3- One and the Same, Part. 2

July 2006 (Same Day)

"Excuse me? I'm a what?" Paige asked, not quite processing what she heard.

"A Witchlighter," Sandra said. "We've known of it ever since you reconstituted the Power of Three. There aren't many Witchlighters in the world at present; at least, there aren't many who are powerful enough to take on Evil. Although your birth was forbidden at that time, ultimately we realized we needed you to bring back the Power of Three after the death of Prue Halliwell." Sandra smiled and shook her head wonderingly. "We never realized you would make so big an impact: A centuries-old rule we made, one keeping Whitelighters and witches from developing romantic ties, was thrown out because of you alone."



"I can't believe this!" Paige exclaimed, shaking her head. "You're telling me I have a whole new destiny?"

"We don't expect you to be open to this right now," Sandra replied reassuringly. "I wanted to tell you the day you embraced your Whitelighter half, but I didn't want it to interfere with your Charmed destiny."

"Yes, I agreed to take on charges while still being a Charmed One." Paige looked Sandra in the face. "So, what are you going on about? Spill it. I'm tired of the cryptic talk."

The Elder took a breath and continued. "You'll have to take on more charges, some of who are very important to the Grand Design."

Paige gaped. "More charges? I came here to ask you to lighten my workload, not make it heavier! I'm overburdened enough as it is! Why are you doing this?"

"Because it's something only a powerful Whitelighter can do. And who other than a Charmed One who's part Whitelighter herself can rise to the challenge?"

"I can't, and I won't. I have a life! You mentioned other Witchlighters. What about them?"

"Paige, you haven't been listening," Odin said sternly. "There aren't many others. And you already know one -- Sir Simon Marks."

Paige stared at Odin in disbelief. "Simon?! That pompous ass from across the pond is a Witchlighter?"

"Yes," the Elder said with a curt nod. "His too was a forbidden birth."

"Well, I can see why you're coming to me for this. But aren't there any others?"

"Only a few, but they aren't strong enough. Some of them haven't even fully embraced their powers from either their witch or Whitelighter side."

Now seeing this was a battle she had no hope of winning, Paige heaved a sigh, rubbing her brow wearily. "Okay, how long will I have to do this?"

"We don't know," Sandra answered gently. "But we can tell you this. You may want to speak with your mother."

"My mother?" Paige exclaimed. "Why do I have to --?"

In the middle of her sentence, the two Elders disappeared in a swirling, radiant vortex.

"-- talk to my mother," concluded Paige, glowering after the vanishing orbs. She slapped her thigh in exasperation, and was about to mutter something uncomplimentary about Elders when she heard a woman's voice in her mind, calling out for help.

The voice was Lena's.

I guess it's good the conversation ended when it did, Paige thought wryly as she immediately disappeared in an orb cloud.

(X)

When she came out of orb, Paige recognized her new surroundings as the underground parking lot of the building where Lena worked. She didn't have to look for her; Lena was running to take cover behind a pillar a short distance away.

Paige also saw that Sivor had returned to finish off Lena, which he now attempted to do by hurling a shock ball at the fleeing witch. Lena raised her deflection shield to send the ball back at the demon. It hit Sivor, but to Lena's and Paige's horror, he simply absorbed it instead of exploding.

"Ah, that felt good. Care to try again?" he mocked Lena as he created another shock ball.

As Sivor hurled it at Lena, Paige motioned with her hand. "Shock ball!" she shouted, reversing the ball back at Sivor. "At least I know what to call it this time," she said to herself as she ran to her charge.

As with the first shock ball, Sivor merely absorbed the second one. "That was nice," he said, "but I'm now bored with this. Let's try a little variety. Hmm, how about this?" He cockily asked as he aimed the palm of his hand at the running Paige and shot a firebolt.

"No!" Lena cried as Paige reached her side. She raised her hand, deflecting the firebolt back at Sivor. It struck him and knocked him back, but the force of the impact ricocheted back into Lena. She crashed into Paige and both landed on the asphalt ground.

"Excellent! Two for the price of one," crowed Sivor, an evil grin on his face. He shot another firebolt at them, but Paige orbed herself and Lena away before it reached them.

"Damn it! So close!" cursed the frustrated demon. "But I won't miss next time!"

He flamed out.

(X)

Paige and Lena materialized into the living room of the Mitchell apartment. Paige expected to see Sally waiting on the couch, but to her surprise, there was no sign of her. She heard footsteps and turned to see her husband, back in his gray briefs, walking out of the kitchen with a glass of cold water.

Henry stopped when he saw that his wife had brought home a second strange woman. He felt the blood rush to his face as Lena gave him a startled look and turned pink herself.

"Oh, no," Henry groaned. "Twice in one day, as if the first time wasn't enough."

"Where are your sweat pants?" Paige asked, pointing at his bare legs.

"I took them off after Sally left. I felt too hot in them."

Paige became frantic. "Wait, Sally left? When? Why? What did you do?"

"Paige, calm down," Henry said reassuringly. "She had to go to a community center to help with a children's charity drive. There was a lot she had to do there. Sally seemed like such a great person that I suggested that she go."

"Henry, that's what you shouldn't have said!" Paige shouted. "I brought her here for a reason! She needs protection! Yes, she's a great person; it's why the Darklighter wants her dead! Now I have to find her before he does."

Henry approached Paige to give her an apology and an embrace. But she angrily pulled away, accidentally knocking his water glass. She squealed as its ice-cold contents splashed all over the front of her shirt and soaked through to her chest. She looked down at the blossoming stain and groaned, rolling her eyes. She turned to Lena.

"I guess this is good enough reason for me to finally change. Wait for me, will you?"

Lena nodded a bit self-consciously.

Paige turned back to Henry and pointed at him. "And you go back to bed, please."

She followed her contrite husband into their bedroom to ready herself.

(X)

Sivor and Malox stood before Avo in the depths of an Underworld cave.

"We need a new approach," Avo said.

"Can we decide what that is soon?" Malox asked impatiently. "That future Whitelighter isn't cloaked anymore and I want my kill!"

"You should get it with the both of you there," Avo replied. "You haven't been able to kill the Witchlighter or her charges singly; perhaps you can do it together. What do you think?"

The demon and the Darklighter pondered the possibility for a moment and then nodded. "It should work," Malox said. "Sivor can distract her while I attack her charge."

"I'm up for it," Sivor agreed. "The Witchlighter hasn't found a way to destroy me yet."

"Then stop wasting time," Avo said. He watched them vanish respectively, rubbed his hands together, and dark-orbed out to follow them.

(X)

Paige and Lena materialized together in an alley, the cool evening air greeting them as they did, Paige's orbs illuminating the alley for a second or two before dying away. Wearing a long-sleeved red shirt, black pants and black boots, she was prepared for battle.

Lena and Paige looked around. "Are you sure this is where the demons will be?" Lena asked.

A strangled cry caught their attention. "I'm positive! Sally!" Paige exclaimed. She and Lena whirled to see Malox standing beside Sivor. They had Sally with them; Malox had forced the witch to her knees and had his hands clamped around her throat, squeezing the life out of her. She was trying to break out of his grip, but she was too weak.

As horrified as she and Lena were by Sally's plight, Paige stared incredulously at the scene. "A demon and a Darklighter working together?"

Sivor smiled slyly at Paige as he flamed out.

"Uh-oh. Be on your guard," Paige cautioned Lena.

Lena nodded. She stepped away from Paige, but no sooner had she turned when Sivor suddenly flamed in behind her and hurled a shock ball. It nailed Lena in the back and sent her crashing hard into the side of a building. She landed motionless on the ground.

"No!" Paige cried. Her eyes darting frantically from Lena to Sally, she saw her quandary. Both needed her desperately, but first she had to get rid of the demon and his Darklighter cohort.

She dug into her pocket as Sivor hurled a shock ball at her. Paige swiftly raised her hand. "Shock ball!" she commanded. It reversed course as she gestured at Sivor, returning to him as quickly as he sent it. The ball hit him, but he absorbed it as coolly as he had the prior two.

"You can't kill me with my own powers," the demon boasted.

"You'll wish I had!" Paige shot back as she unfolded the paper and chanted, "Hellspawn Demon, Creature of Death, Fire shall take your very breath!"

Sivor smirked at Paige's words, but his smirk quickly vanished when he saw and felt scorching flames burning through his clothing. He screamed, wildly flailing his arms as he tried vainly to beat them out. He screeched as he was engulfed in a fiery explosion that died away to reveal an empty, slightly smoking area where the demon had stood a few seconds earlier.

As much as Paige wanted to tend to Lena, who lay motionless on the ground, she now had to deal with Malox, who still had his hands around Sally's throat in a merciless, tightening choke-hold. As long as the preoccupied Darklighter had his shield, Paige could do nothing until she had weakened it enough for her vanquish to work. She closed her eyes, crossed her fingers, and chanted, "To make this, Darklighter's power weak, Is what I wish and what I seek, The Power of One is what I wield, For me to lessen the strength of his shield!"

Malox loosened his grip on Sally as his shield vanished in a sudden flash; he realized that Paige's spell had reduced him to an ordinary Darklighter. He threw his limp, weakly gasping prey against a Dumpster, aimed his crossbow at Paige, and fired.

Raising her hand as the projectile came straight for her, Paige commanded, "Arrow!" It became an orb-shrouded lancet as she reversed its course with a push of her arm, deflecting the arrow back at Malox. It plunged into the Darklighter's chest, and with a scream he went up like a bonfire and exploded.

Paige ran to Sally and sat her up. "Easy, take deep breaths," she said as her charge leaned back against the Dumpster, breathing deeply as she held her aching neck. She gave Paige a weak but grateful smile.

"Thanks," Sally whispered.

"No problem. Are you okay?"

"Yes. I think I'm going to have a sore throat for a while though."

"Hey, I'm just glad you're safe," Paige answered, returning the smile. She looked over at Lena's motionless form lying a short distance away. "I have to see to my other charge. You keep put."

Sally nodded and closed her eyes, slowly filling her lungs with the night air.

Paige went over to the prostrate Lena and knelt beside her. Placing her hands over Lena's back, she focused her attention on the brown-haired witch and concentrated on mending her. Paige's palms shone golden as she bathed the full length of Lena's body in their healing light. After several moments the woman stirred and, with a slight moan, opened her eyes.

Paige gently rolled her over onto her back. "Lena? Are you all right?" she asked.

Lena looked up at her and smiled. "I am, thanks to you." She sat up and gazed around the alley. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah, they're gone. I vanquished them. You should be safe now."

Paige helped Lena to her feet and returned to Sally. "Do you think you can stand up?" she asked her.

Sally nodded. Paige took her hand and pulled her up. Sally swayed a little unsteadily, but stayed on her feet.

She enfolded Paige in a hug of gratitude. "Thank you so much. This is twice that you've saved my life."

"I'm glad to help," Paige responded, returning the embrace. She smiled as Lena joined them. "It's why I was assigned to you both." She then gave a puzzled frown. "I've never seen a demon and a Darklighter working together before. Why would they? Those two species aren't exactly friends."

Lena raised her eyebrows in surprise. "They're not?"

"No," said Paige with a shake of her head.

"Have they ever been?" Sally asked curiously.

"No, never. Demons always stick to their own kind and Darklighters always stick to theirs. And suddenly they join forces? It's too weird." Paige pondered for a moment and looked at her charges. "Come to think of it, that attack seemed coordinated, like it was well-thought out. I'd better go see my sisters about this. Can I orb you two anywhere?"

"No, I'll be fine," Lena replied.

Paige turned to Sally. "What about you? I don't like leaving without explaining magic to you since you're new to it and I have no problem answering any questions you may have."

"I am curious about some things," Sally admitted. She looked at Lena and smiled. "But I think your friend here can help me with those, if she doesn't mind."

Lena nodded in agreement and turned to Paige. "I'll explain it to Sally. You go do what you have to do."

"But you don't know magic like I do," Paige told her.

"No, but I know how it feels to be new to it, so I may be able to answer Sally's questions," Lena said.

Paige smiled at them. "Okay then. Take care and call if you need me."

She watched as Lena and Sally walked out of the alley together. When they had gone, she orbed out.

From his hiding place on a rooftop directly above the alley, Avo watched Paige's orbs fly past him. "Interesting," he observed. "Sivor was right. This Witchlighter is a clever one."

Wearing a cunning grin, Avo swirled away in a stream of inky black orbs.

(X)

Paige materialized in her bedroom to find Henry in bed and the TV tuned in to ESPN. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of her coming out of orb and turned toward her.

"Hey," he greeted her smilingly.

"Hi. How are you feeling?" she asked as she approached.

"Much better, thanks. I think my cold's going away. How'd it go?"

"Mission accomplished," she said, sitting down beside him on the bed. "I vanquished the demon and his Darklighter bud."

Her husband gave her a thumbs-up. "Great, score one for Team Good! But didn't you say there was something off about a demon and a Darklighter working together?"

"Yeah," sighed Paige. "These two species never do. Thankfully, my charges are safe, but I need to talk to Piper and Phoebe."

"About what?" Henry asked while Paige grabbed her cell off the drawer beside their bed.

"About a new destiny it seems I now have," she said as she dialed Phoebe's number.

Henry said up. "A new destiny? Can't you tell me first, Paige? You know I'm always willing to learn about what goes on in your magical life."

"I know, Henry, but I didn't think you'd understand."

"Try me. I'm you're husband, remember?"

Paige looked at him and then nodded with a little smile. "Okay. I met with the Elders--"

"Your bosses," he interjected.

"Yes, my bosses. They told me I now have a new destiny, one that doesn't include my sisters. I have the Power of One and I'm known as a Witchlighter."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm not entirely sure. That's why I have to talk with Piper and Phoebe." She gave an apologetic look. "It's not that I want to exclude you, Henry; I don't. I just want answers. Can you understand that?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I respect that, and I respect your independence." He reached out and took her hand. "But remember, Paige, we're a couple now. You may have a new destiny that's all yours, but I'm your escape route from the world of magic into the real one. And I'm not something you can separate yourself from, short of divorce papers." He grinned at his wife.

Paige smiled. She threw herself on top of Henry; they embraced and kissed. "I love you," she said.

"I love you too." He grinned mischievously. "And you should probably know that kissing me isn't good right now with my cold."

Paige's eyes widened. "Damn it, you're right!" She leaped off of him. "Where're the vitamins?"

(X)

Twenty-five minutes later, Paige orbed into the attic of Halliwell Manor. Both of her sisters were sitting at the small oak table; Phoebe busily scribbled on the page of an old notebook while Piper sat with her hands folded on the table-top, patiently waiting.

"Hi. Sorry I'm late," Paige apologized.

"Late? You're not late. You're just not early," Piper joked smilingly.

"Why the family powwow, Paige?" Phoebe asked, looking up from her scribbles. "You have a demonic problem that needs a Power-of-Three solution?"

"There's no demon duty for you guys today," Paige said as she joined them at the table. "To make a long story short, I vanquished a Darklighter and a Hellspawn demon. Turns out they were working together."

Her sisters raised their eyebrows in surprise.

"A Darklighter and a demon?" Piper said.

Phoebe shook her head worriedly. "That can't be good."

"You're telling me. But that's not all. I went to the Elders to see if they could lighten my workload. Instead, they told me I had a new destiny; I'm now the Power of One, better known as a Witchlighter."

"A Witchlighter?" Piper and Phoebe chorused, staring at Paige.

She nodded. "They said I should speak to our mother about it."

Piper sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. She shook her head wryly. "Talk to Mom about it. Why am I not surprised?" She turned to Phoebe. "Are you surprised?"

Phoebe smirked. "Where this family's concerned, nothing surprises me," she chuckled. "Care to bet Grams had a part in it?"

"If she didn't, she wouldn't be Grams," Piper said, snorting with laughter. She flicked her gaze from Phoebe to Paige and smiled. "Candles, anyone?"

With a grin, Paige turned in her chair. Stretching her arm out toward a circular table, where five white pillar candles sat next to the family cauldron, she called, "Candles." The luminaries became an orb swirl that flew across the room to rematerialize in front of the Charmed Ones.

The Halliwells pushed back their chairs as they stood. "Let's set up," said Piper, grabbing a candle as her sisters took hold of the remaining four. They followed Piper as she lit them in a clockwise direction. When they were finished, they went to the Book of Shadows and opened it to the evocation.

"All right," Paige said. "Who wants the honor of summoning Mom?"

"You do it," Piper said. "After all, you're the one who has to speak to her."

"But I've done enough rhyming for one day."

"Paige," her sisters said warningly, Phoebe crossing her arms while Piper placed her hands on her hips.

"Fine, fine, I'll do it," Paige relented. She cleared her throat and chanted: "Hear these words, hear my cry, Spirit from the Other Side, Come to me, I summon thee, Cross now the Great Divide!"

The candles flickered as a spiral of white lights appeared within the center of the rug. They merged together, coalescing into the glowing, transparent form of the Charmed Ones' mother, Patty Halliwell. She was dressed in a flowing, peach-colored gown, her long auburn hair falling beneath her shoulders, she smiled lovingly at her three daughters.

"Why, hello, girls!" she greeted them in an echoing voice, her dark eyes dancing. "How are you?"

"We're fine, Mom," Piper replied.

"What brings about this late call?" The Charmed Ones' mother asked, playing along with not sharing the secret.

"There's something I have to talk with you about," Paige said.

A smile spread slowly across Patty's face. "And I'm pretty sure I know what it is."

"I thought you would," Paige said, "so I'll cut it down to one word: Witchlighter." She folded her arms. "Why didn't I know about this?"

"We didn't dare tell anyone, sweetie, because we couldn't risk the Elders finding out about you," Patty answered quietly. "And, of course, Sister Agnes didn't know about it when we gave you to her so she could put you up for adoption. Your father and I didn't know ourselves until after we returned home, when your Grams said she had stumbled upon something called a 'Witchlighter' in a book she had with her. She --"

"Patty, dear," an all-too-familiar voice broke in, "if you're going to tell the story, tell it right."

Patty rolled her eyes in exasperation as her daughters glanced at one another knowingly.

"Guess who," said Piper, smirking.

A second rain of spirit orbs appeared beside Patty to form into the ghost of Penny Halliwell, the Charmed Ones' free-spirited grandmother, clearly dressed for the occasion in a purple velvet dress.

Patty eyed her mother and crossed her arms. "All right, would you like to tell the story, Mother?"

"Well, I should if you're going to get it wrong," Grams replied stoutly.

"Then tell it," Paige interjected. "That's what we're all here for. More importantly, it's what I'm here for."

"Very well," Grams said. She preened herself a little and began. "I was going through my magical books when I came upon The Prophecies of Madame Nadia. She was a gypsy I knew about, one who was always careful with her prophecies; as a precaution, she consulted runes, tea leaves, tarot cards, and horoscopes before actually taking a prophecy seriously. I was reading her book when I came across one; it spoke of a Witchlighter."

Paige's jaw dropped. "Wait a minute! I was prophesized?"

"Paige, darling, don't get excited," Grams said. "This particular prophecy wasn't three centuries in the making, like it was for the Charmed Ones. Madame Nadia foretold the coming of the Witchlighter only several years before your birth."

"And what did it say?" Paige pressed.

"I can tell you that one easily." Penny closed her eyes and smiled, recounting the prophecy, "Casting white lights with a Wiccan sun, two shall produce a forbidden one, Magicks will collide and this angelic witch will be forced to hide, Until one night, her presence will cast a blue light, It will symbolize the Witchlighter's return and it'll rid of any concerns, Blessed with many powers, she'll be a powerful fighter, the day will soon come to welcome the Witchlighter."

All eyes were on Paige as Grams finished. Phoebe gave an awestruck whistle.

"Wow, Paige," Piper said, clearly impressed, "this certainly explains why you were always independent, even as a Charmed One. You must have always had this pull."

Paige shrugged helplessly. "I just figured it had to do with being an adopted child growing up without brothers or sisters." She turned back to Grams. "So what does this all mean? I now have to multi-task as a witch and a Whitelighter?"

Suddenly, a new voice, a man's, came from nowhere. "No, Paige, that's not all of it."

Everyone in the room gave each other a confused stare and looked around them. "Is that who I think it is?" Phoebe said in amazement.

"Sam!" breathed Patty, her face wreathed in a radiant smile.

"What?" Paige exclaimed. "He's here?"

As if answering her question, orbs of a different sort -- those of a pure Whitelighter -- appeared beside the rug. They vanished to reveal the presence of Sam Wilder, Paige's biological father.

Piper struggled to keep a straight face. "One big happy family reunion, isn't it?" she tittered. Phoebe gave her a reproachful slap on the arm.

Sam chuckled at the remark. "Yes, I wouldn't have missed this for the world." He gazed tenderly at his grown daughter. "Hello, Paige. How are you?"

Paige shook her head in utter bewilderment. "Considering I've had a bomb dropped in my lap, I'm just doing great."

"I know," her father said with a sympathetic nod. "It's a lot for you to take in. But this is something you can't avoid, no matter how much you may want to. You surpassed everyone's expectations after you embraced your Whitelighter half and took on charges of your own. But more will be expected of you as a Witchlighter. You'll have special charges that are destined to have a part in the Grand Design; these people will need greater care and guidance." Sam smiled. "And who better to do that than you, Paige?"

Paige was silent as she mulled over the information. It was several minutes before she spoke.

"So, that's it?" she said quietly. "My Charmed destiny is over? It's just my own Power-of-One gig now?"

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that," Grams said with a smile, "but for the most part, it's now all on you."

Paige gazed at the apparitions of her mother and grandmother. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? It would have better prepared me."

"Can you blame them?" Phoebe interjected. "Whitelighter half aside, when you first learned you were a witch, you ran out the door. Not exactly an encouraging response."

"Actually, you better prepared yourself, Paige," said Patty. "By joining with Piper and Phoebe to revive the Power of Three, you came into your original destiny. You accepted it and became the witch you were meant to be, and it was then that you came into your Whitelighter half. Seeing you embrace that and the responsibilities that came with it was beautiful; it showed you were truly ready. Even after winning the Ultimate Battle, you didn't throw in the towel. You've continued to fight."

"We always knew you were meant to be a Witchlighter," Grams added. "But when you succeeded Prue after she died, we couldn't burden you with this extra business because you had to be a Charmed One first and foremost. But either way, the Witchlighter magic already growing in you will be strengthened by that experience."

"Magic is important to me and always will be," Paige admitted. "But it's also very hard. Like today, when I almost lost two of my charges."

"But you didn't," Piper reminded her, putting an arm around her shoulder. "They both are alive because of you."

"I know." Paige sighed. "It's just that when I have a difficult problem, like I did with that demon and Darklighter combo, I'm torn between using my Charmed witchcraft or my Whitelighter powers to solve it."

"That's the thing, Paige," Sam pointed out. "You're both, so those thoughts will come up. It's perfectly normal and it's what will make you great. So don't deny this."

"You mean I should go ahead and embrace my heritage?" Paige asked.

Patty nodded. "Exactly," she said, smiling.

"You'll do great," Piper added encouragingly. "You're one fantastic witch, Paige."

Phoebe slipped an arm around Paige and gave her a hug. "And one fantastic Whitelighter," she chimed in proudly.

Paige grinned at them and then peeked at her watch. "Well, it's time for me to be a fantastic wife and head back home," she announced. "I don't want to keep Henry in the dark about any of this."

Patty and Penny glistened out after good-byes were said.

"I'll keep in touch, Paige," Sam said. Just as he was about to orb out, he stopped and smiled. "I wish I could have been seated at your wedding. It was beautiful."

"The Elders let you see it?" Paige asked incredulously.

He nodded. "They also let your mother and grandmother see it." He grinned. "I look forward to meeting Henry sometime."

Paige smiled. "Why do I get the feeling that's not far off?"

Sam chuckled and orbed away.

"I should be going," Paige said to her sisters. "You want me to orb you back to your condo, Phoebe?"

She shook her head and smiled. "No, I'm going to stay and catch up with Piper. But thanks."

The Sisters Three had a group hug. Paige disengaged herself and took a step back.

"Bye," she said, soaring out of the attic in a glowing white orb-cloud.

(X)

"Henry?" Paige called after she had rematerialized in the apartment.

"In the kitchen," came her husband's voice.

Paige entered and smiled as she caught sight of Henry standing at the sink, wearing yellow rubber gloves as he washed a glass with a green sponge.

"Hey, mister," she quipped, "didn't you say it was my turn to do the dishes?"

"I did," he answered with a grin, "but then I realized my beautiful wife would want to rest after a long, hard day of demon fighting." He put the glass in the dish drain. "Besides, I wanted to do some work around here; I've been sleeping so much today that I likely won't get much sleep tonight."

Paige broke into a huge grin and flung her arms around Henry's neck. "Aren't you just the best?"

"That I am," Henry said, smiling as his gloves dripped soapy water onto the tiles of the kitchen floor. His arms encircled Paige in an embrace, the wet gloves soaking the back of her red shirt in the process.

Paige didn't mind at all this time. She rested her head on Henry's chest. "I love you."

"I love me too, Paige," Henry joked mischievously.

She lifted her head and grinned at him. "You're incorrigible, do you know that?"

"Oh, absolutely," he grinned back. He kissed her. "And I also know that I love you."

Paige pulled the gloves off Henry and took his hand. "Come on. Do I have stuff to tell you!" They walked out, headed for the bedroom.

The dishes remained undone for another night.

End of Chapter

Authors Note: I want to thank all my C-Net friends for reviewing and all you new readers of the FF-Net community. I deeply appreciate it. Next chapter will be Paige's birthday and a wish definitely gets twisted. Look forward to it.