Chapter – 3.1 – The Plan
When Prue returned to the attic, it was buzzing with various conversations. Phoebe, a pad of paper and pen in hand, was curled up on the couch, talking with Piper and Andy. Leo stood next to the couch at Piper's shoulder. Paige was talking with her parents, but from time to time she glanced over at the couch.
Phoebe looked up at the sound of the door closing. "Hey, Prue. Come on in. We've been trying to figure out what we want to do."
"And what have you decided so far?" Prue asked as she walked over.
"That Darryl's right," Piper answered, "and we can't just announce that Andy and I are alive. Some sort of glamour and new identities is our best bet."
"So we won't be able to acknowledge you as our sister," Prue replied, more than a bit disappointed. "Or acknowledge you as Andy," she added as she looked at him, the thought taking away some of the pleasure of his being alive.
Andy nodded. "Sorry, but it is a small price to pay for being alive."
Prue agreed, his words bringing things back into focus for her. "So any idea what you plan to do?"
"We haven't decided that yet," Phoebe admitted, looking down at the list on her lap. "Leo has a possibility though."
Prue looked up at Leo. "What's your idea?"
"I was thinking that just because the world can't know who they are doesn't mean that we can't see them as they are," Leo told her. "Since Piper and Paige and her parents can now use spells for personal gain without fearing a backlash, they should be able to include something that will let us, and anyone else they choose, see them as they really are."
Prue grinned at that suggestion. "Nice one, Leo. I like that. I didn't relish the idea of seeing someone else when I looked at them. Could it also include something so that if we slip and call them by their real names, those who can't see their true identites would hear the changed name?" As she spoke, she closed the distance between her and the couch and squeezed into the non-existent space between Phoebe and Andy.
Phoebe giggled as she scooted over closer to Piper. Seeing Prue and Andy cuddled up next to each on the couch, she looked to her other side at Piper with Leo standing behind her as if protecting his beloved. Suddenly feeling a bit lonely, she looked over at Cole standing by himself and raised an eyebrow.
Cole saw her raised eyebrow and smiled. "You sure you want me over there? It looks crowded."
Phoebe shrugged. "Who cares? We can fit more . . . somehow."
Cole came over and eyed the couch. "I'm not so sure about that."
Paige looked over at the crowd on the couch. She grinned at the sight of her semi-stuffy former whitelighter as he pulled Prue onto his lap so that there was more space onto the couch.
Prue giggled as she snuggled onto Andy's lap.
Cole smiled and sat down on the couch in the spot just vacated by Prue and Phoebe lay her head on his shoulder.
Prue twisted around enough on Andy's lap so that she could look up at him. "So who do you want to be?"