"Forsaken"
Cast:
Holly Marie Combs as "Piper Halliwell"
Alyssa Millano as "Phoebe Halliwell"
Brain Krause as "Leo Wyatt"
Debbie Morgan as "The Seer"
Ali Larter as "Sarah McConnell"
and Dorian Gregory as "Darrel Morris"
Chapter Seven: "A Whole New World"
- San Francisco, November 2003 -
The early morning light shown through Halliwell manor, stretching through the conservatory and into the kitchen. There sat Phoebe Halliwell at the table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the morning paper in her pajamas. She seemed relaxed, almost at ease which was rare for her. Over the last two years she had learned to be on edge at all moments and to not care for anyone or anything. However that had changed over the last few months. She had found a balance between her old care free self and the independent woman she had become. Now, Phoebe Halliwell needed to find a job.
"Morning sunshine." Piper Halliwell said as she entered the kitchen in a pair of shorts and tank top.
"Hmmm..." Phoebe mumbled as she continued to read the paper.
Piper poured her coffee and sat down next to her sister, "Phoebe what are you doing?"
"Hmm..." She responded again.
At the second mumble Piper rolled her eyes and put her fingers to her mouth and whistled. Phoebe jumped as she was startled by the loud noise. "You know Phoebe if you keep ignoring me, my feels might just get hurt." She said to her baby sister in a teasing tone.
Phoebe sighed and said, "I'm sorry Piper but I'm looking for a job. Five freaking years and that still hasn't changed." She put her head on the table in defeat.
"Oh Pheebs." Piper said rubbing her sister's neck with one hand and drinking coffee with the other.
[Theme Song: "Dream" by The Cranberries]
"Oh my life is changing everyday
Every possible way
Though my dreams, it's never quite as it seems
Never quite as it seems
I know I felt like this before
But now I'm feeling it even more
Because it came from you
Then I open up and see
The person fumbling here is me
A different way to be
I want more, impossible to ignore
Impossible to ignore
They ll come true, impossible not to do
Impossible not to do
Now I tell you openly
You have my heart so don t hurt me
For what I couldn't find
Talk to me amazing mind
So understanding and so kind
You re everything to me
Oh my life is changing everyday
Every possible way
Though my dreams, it's never quite as it seems
cause you're a dream to me
Dream to me."
"Piper you have to understand I worked really hard to get my degree in psychology. I should be doing something with my life that doesn't involve killing demons." Phoebe said as she continued to hunt for a job.
Piper was washing what little dishes there were from last night and said, "Phoebe I do understand. I don't want to be a total pain in the ass here sis, but what kind of job are you looking for?"
Phoebe put the paper down and said, "I'm looking for a job that will let me be me. Wonder witch and all." She added with a smile.
"Well that shouldn't be hard. Everyone knows about us and it's kinda weird. I mean some people hardly hold eye contact with us at the market, while other can't help but stare." Piper tuned from looking out the window and said to her sisiter, "It's like being a famous actress or something."
At that Phoebe chuckled and said, "See acting could be good I never gave that alot of thought."
"Yeah I can see it now, The Nightly Witch or something." Piper said as she grabbed her beagle out of the toaster. "What about being a councelor? You have the degree for it."
Phoebe tilted her head and said, "Huh, I never thought of that. I just figured that a psychology degree had to be something more...stuffy."
Piper was about to give her sister a quick quip but the familar sound of jingling was heard as the shower of blue and white orbs appeared in the kitchen. Piper looked at Leo and said, "It's too early in the morning for demon hunting Leo. Besides the demons pretty much leave the bumping in the night to...well in the night."
"Whoa calm down Piper I'm not here for demons. I'm actually here just to check up on you two. I wanted to see how you guys are settling in." Leo said as he grabbed himself a cup of coffee.
Piper gave a half frown and said, "Oh, sorry Leo. I think we're doing pretty good. Right Pheebe?"
"Oh yeah. Better if I could find a job but we're just peachy." Phoebe said from behind the newspaper.
"Is she alright?" Leo whispered to Piper.
"She's just in a post apocalyptic mood right now Leo. She lost her sister, her husband, her long lost sister...she's feeling lost." Piper said as she looked at Pheobe with remorse in her eyes.
"Ha! I got it." Phoebe practically screamed from the table. "Oh my God that's perfect."
Piper gave her sister a questioning look and then said, "Um Phoebe what's going on?"
As she practically ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs Phoebe yelled, "You'll see Piper!"
"Should we be worried?" Leo asked.
"I'm not sure yet, but I bet I will be sooner or later."
- Downtown San Francisco -
Phoebe Halliwell walked through the double doors of the tall cream colored building and headed for the elevator. As she walked, a few people looked at her and smiled, Phoebe smiled back. It was as if the last few years hadn't happened...she was just a girl going in for an interview, not a witch.
As she approached the door she read, "The Bay Mirror" in red lettering across the glass doors. She gave a soft smile and opened them.
- P3 -
Piper looked around the newly cleaned P3 and poured herself a shot of whiskey. She wasn't drinking to erase the pain, but rather to celebrate. Over the last week she had decided to turn P3 around, to take it in a new direction. As to where it was going though, she wasn't sure yet.
"Wow Piper I haven't seen the club looking like this in a long time." Leo said as he walked around the dance floor.
"Thanks Leo. It was alot of work this week, but it was worth it." She poured another shot and placed it on the counter. "Here Leo, have a drink. It's no fun to celebrate alone." Piper quiped as she smiled to her ex-husband.
Leo took the short glass and slammed it back. He missed this, being with Piper...and he hoped that she missed him too. After feeling the burn from the whiskey he gave a small burp and said, "So what's next for you and Phoebe?"
"Honestly I don't know Leo. Alot has changed in a short amount of time." She took a moment and then said, "It's been two years now since Prue was killed, and for the first time I feel like we might have a chance at a life. Cole is finally dead and Phoebe is off to find herself a new purpose in life." Piper sat down on one of the bar chairs and continued, "I'm happy for her, really I am. I just don't know how to move on with my life. Shax is still out there, and so is The Source. We may not be 'charmed' anymore, but that doesn't make us any less of a target."
"Piper..." Leo said as he walked closer to her.
"Leo it just feels like after having been through so much we have to start over again. We lost who we were for the last twenty odd years, we lost our sisters, and..." She looked at him and then down to her empty glass, "...I lost you Leo."
He didn't need her to say anything else, the years together had taught him that when she spoke to the table or a chair that she was embarrassed, and scared.
Leo put his gentle hand on her shoulder and said, "Piper, just because the world has changed doesn't mean there still aren't things worth fighting for." He moved his hand up to her face and he tilted her chin up to see her eyes. "I'm still here Piper, I still love you."
Without waiting for her to respond he kissed her. She hesitated at first, unsure of herself but feeling his lips on her own just felt so natural. Piper returned the kiss and soon the two were laying on the floor of P3 wrapped in eachother's arms. It had been over a year since they were intimate like this, over a year since the two of them were as one.
- Halliwell Manor - (same day, late at night)
Phoebe sat in the living room at her laptop typing away when Piper came home. "Piper, it's really late. Where were..." Then she noticed the way Piper looked, or rather how she was walking. "Oh my god Piper you had sex!"
Piper stopped dead in her tracks and straightened her back as she looked at her sister. "Excuse me Phoebe?"
"Don't you pull that on me Piper! I know that walk of shame. Who was it? What happened? I didn't even know you were seeing someone." Phoebe began to ramble off when Piper put her hands up and waved for her to be quiet.
"It wasn't just some guy Phoebe...it was Leo." She said putting on a proud face.
Phoebe practically shreeked at this news. "PIPER! That's amazing, how did it happen?"
Piper snorted and said, "Phoebe, Prue explained that to you when you were eleven."
"Funny, but not what I meant." Phoebe eyed her sister and then said, "Come on Piper, I deserve details. You're my sister and Leo is..er was...whatever he is he is still my brother in law. Does this mean you two are getting back together?"
Piper just waved her sister off as she walked up the stairs and headed for bed. Phoebe huffed and deided to let Piper sleep on what had happened. She knew it was best for her to take some time and sort out her feelings about Leo. While she never stopped loving him, Phoebe knew that a part of Piper had died when Prue died...it was her innocence.
She sat back down at her laptop and finished her email.
So Stunned in San Francisco, take a moment and just learn to enjoy the day. Nothing is certain in life, but if you live in a state of fear you aren't living at all. I'm not telling you to forget about the world around you, but rather find the way to make the best of it. No matter what, this is still our city...our world.
Good luck,
Phoebe Halliwell.
She then hit the send button and closed her laptop.
FADE TO BLACK
[A/N: I hope that you enjoy this latest chapter. I changed the theme song for Forsaken, mostly because I felt that while the story started off in the dark world of 'Centennial Charmed' it couldn't stay there forever. I want this story to be a good blend of the classic Charmed we all love, and the datker aspect of this setting.
Chapters should be coming asap, on average about one a month. Thanks and as always please read and review. :-) ]