72 Hours

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

Chapter 2: By Grace of…Me?

Paige thought they would be falling forever. Walking through the portal was just for show because once they entered they were sucked into a vortex. But within minutes, the two hit the cold ground. Rubbing her sore head, she stood.

"We're in the same park," she remarked. The wind felt cold as she zipped up her jacket, seeing Chris stand beside her.

"Well, then this place must have a special meaning to you," he replied.

"What?"

"The potion that opened up the portal was — in a way — connected to you. We wouldn't have landed here if it wasn't a very important piece of some memory—"

"Memories," she corrected. "My parents took me here every weekend in good weather until sometime when I was thirteen," She sighed sadly. It was so dark out that objects were barely visible, but somehow Paige knew exactly where everything was. She walked forward until she came to a grandfather oak tree, turning and leaning against it.

Chris walked over and stood beside her. "So…why did you guys stop coming here? I'm mean, I'm no kid and I'd have fun here."

She took a breath. Half of her face was illuminated by a street lamp a little ways off, but it wasn't so far off that Chris missed the couple tears that flowed. She took another steady breath before answering. "That wasn't the reason. About a month after I turned thirteen, I had to get braces and they made me feel like such an outcast."

"But you had friends before that, right?"

She shook her head. "No, and my grades had always been just above failing. Except for Art. I was an artistic kid, plus the teacher really liked me. Anyway, after that everybody seemed to notice me, but not like I wanted them to…"

"Whoa, wait!" Chris said. "So all of your rebellion began after that? Come on, braces caused everything?"

She laughed slightly. "No, but people never noticed me until then. I-I wanted people to think of me in a different way."

He sighed. "Stereotypes are overrated. Braces don't make you a geek. It's just something to help you."

"They didn't say that," she laughed. "But I know what you mean, thanks, Chris. So…now what?"

"Well, now I guess we need to find them. You know this area a lot better than me, so you lead."

She nodded. They were about to walk off, when she heard a noise. It was small though, so she figured it was just a squirrel.

A second later, something like a crash resounded from the bushes along with an, "Ouch!"

She spun around. "Who's there?" Paige called, but there was no answer. "That's…"

"Odd," Chris finished. "Since when can animals speak like humans?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "They can't," she whispered, pressing a finger to her lips as she walked over to the bushes without a single sound. She figured either her witch or her Whiteligher powers gave her a heightened sense of sight in darkness because once she got close enough she saw long dark hair. Knowing she would run, Paige pulled her back into the open.

"Hey! Hey! What the hell are you doing?" the girl shouted. "He—" she tried to call out, but Paige covered her mouth.

"Shhh, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," Paige answered as she turned the girl around to face her.

She pushed her dark hair behind her ear, straightening out her "Metallica" t-shirt underneath her jacket. "And why the fuck should I trust you!"

Wow, Paige thought, she really is testy. Worse than I was. "Because I know deep down you're a good kid. You just hate that metal on your face."

She gasped in shock. "H-How can you see me? It's so dark out here."

She just shrugged. "I just have really good eyesight."

"Oh."

"And I had them when I was a kid. Not to mention way overly-protective parents. The teachers were always out to get me because of the way I looked. I wasn't necessarily a bad kid though." She looked at her younger counterpart who was nodding at everything she said. "Did I hit a couple nerves?"

"Humph! Think a sob story can get you close to me? Forget it! You don't know anything about me!" she said turning away.

Paige sighed. "Alright then. Tell me about you." It'd been quite a while since she'd had a job which entailed this, but she knew she could handle it. Besides, it wasn't like she was a Social Worker here. If she was the details of this conversation couldn't be kept between them. And, this time, it had to be.

She couldn't explain a lot about her life now, but she remembered this part of her life like her own name. Like a piece of prose that was forever written on paper in permanent marker and kept hidden from even her sisters. Yes, they knew about the accident, but only the bare minimum.

The girl sighed. "Why in the world would you take an interest in little ol' me?" she said with biting sarcasm.

"Because you've got no one else to talk to. Because you think your parents' rules are the biggest bitch you've ever encountered, so, you know, naturally, you never tell them anything."

She narrowed her eyes. "How do you know that?"

She shrugged. "You're a teenager and what teenager ever tells their parents the full truth?"

She kicked at the ground. "Did your Mommy tell you that?"

She took a deep breath. Here comes the truth. "Actually, I never knew my parents. Not my real parents anyway. I was adopted when I was very young, so naturally my adopted parents were all I knew."

"Wait. If that was all you ever knew then how did you know you were adopted?"

"It's…a long, complicated story. I know how hard it is, to be an outcast. Let me help you." Paige said, extending her hand to her.

She crossed her arms. "How do I know you won't tell them what I tell you?"

"That's just it, you don't. All you have is my word."

The girl looked at her from her auburn hair down to her weird-looking sneakers and everything in between. She didn't know what it was, but something about her seemed familiar. Something close. Like a long-lost relative or something. And in her brown eyes she saw something that was close to fear, but fear of what she didn't know. Reluctantly, she shook her hand. "I'm Paige Matthews," she answered. "And my life is hell."

Paige put her hand over her mouth to try to hold back a laugh, but it didn't work.

"What?" Young Paige asked. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, you just sound so much like me when I was that age."

"Oh. Is that a good thing?"

She nodded. "But what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

"My parents. They grounded me," Young Paige said. She shivered though her heavy jacket, "so I locked my door and snuck out the window to a party."

Paige nodded. God, I wish I didn't remember this. "What kind of party was it?"

The young girl shrugged. "Just a typical party…" she couldn't keep from shivering and Paige noticed it.

"Paige, it's late. I think you should go home."

She shot her a dirty look. "What are you, my mother? I'll leave when I damn well please!"

Paige sighed, walking over and sitting on the sidewalk. "No, I'm not, but you're shivering. I think you need something hot to eat."

She shook her head, muttering, "That's not why I'm shivering," under her breath.

I know and I wish I didn't. "You seem jumpy. Anything I can do?" she asked in trying to keep with her completely oblivious act, but it was hard. She didn't use for a long time before someone found out and then...then it was away for three years, three, to come clean.

She earned her G.E.D. and got into college. Yet, she knew her younger self was in much worse trouble and, without saying who she was, trying to help would be the toughest task.

She knew, depending on how much was taken, it wouldn't show right away.

Young Paige stood, but immediately held her head. "I-I don't know. I'm so dizzy and…why am I here, again?" she asked tiredly as her body began to twitch.

Paige stood up and grab hold of her. "What else is wrong?" she whispered softly.

She shook her head. "I need to…get rid of my…"

Paige sat down with her. "Okay, okay. I-I got it. Sit up." She said as she sat in front of her and unzipped her jacket and taking it off of her. "Damn, you're arms are covered in hives. Sweetie, I've got to get you home."

Young Paige rested her head on her shoulder. "No!" she said, trying to catch her breath.

Paige threw the girl's jacket over her shoulder. "Yes, but your parents aren't going to like it," she answered in pain. Track marks littered her upper arms. It wasn't hard to tell what she'd been doing at that party.

Young Paige lifted her head. "Please," she cried. "Please don't take me home. Not like this! My parents will kill me! It-it was just one party." She looked her in the eyes.

Paige sighed. She knew she needed medical attention and her parents, but this wasn't some innocent kid on the street. This was her. If she remembered correctly, she hadn't been caught until it was almost too late. Against everything, she picked the girl up. "Where else should we go?"

She needed to go back, but she couldn't bring her back to the house looking like this. It would destroy her parents, not to mention land her in jail and eat up too much time.

Looking down, she saw her younger self was out cold. "It's okay. I know where to go. Chris!"

He formed right beside her. "Aren't you going to take her home?"

"I can't, Chris, not like this." She dug in her pocket for cash and handed it to him. "Here."

"Paige! We should be taking her home…or to the hospital, not kidnapping her and feeding her!" he argued.

She rolled her eyes. "That isn't for food, you idiot. I want you to go to the store and get the biggest First-Aid kit and as much Cover-up and white toothpaste as you can buy."

"Wha—"

"I can't fix the problem. I know that, but I can help her and cover up the first occurrence."

He sighed. "Covering up the first time won't make the next ones any better."

"I know that, but if she knows someone cares enough to help her, maybe she can make the right choice."

He let out a breath. "But you are going to take her home?"

She nodded. "After she looks better, yes, but right now, I think it's best if she doesn't go home. And yes, I know Piper would kill me for saying that, but Chris…she's not some random innocent."

Again, he sighed. "I know. All right I'll go. Where will you be?"

"Just sense me," she answered, Orbing away . . .

. . .

. . .

Author's Notes: So what do you think?

Reveiw thanks to: Dominus Trinus & That70sshowlova

Special thanks to That70sshowlova for being my Beta!

Please read and review to tell me what you think!

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell