'Prue's POV
Ever since I have been able to drive, I have always come back to Camp Skylark, the place my mother died. I just come out here to think, even though it brings up horrible memories. I barley even remember how I even got to there. All I knew was something bad had happened to Mommy.
I just stared at my Mommy's lifeless body. I was not able to save her. The policepeople were putting a bag over my Mommy. "Mommy!" I shouted. The cop turned around.
"Is that her kid? Get her out of here, she does not need to see her mom like this. Tears were stinging at my eyes, and the cop bent down to my level. "Are you Prue? Your Grams said you would be here. "Why don't you come inside with me? Ok?" I struggled to get out of his grip, tears pouring out of my eyes.
"Mommy! Mommy!"
"I miss you Mommy," Prue whispered as tears threatned to spill again. My cell phone couldn't have rang at a worse time. "Hello?" I answer, tears threatening to spill again, but my voice was even and steady.
"Hey Prue," Piper's chipper voice comes in on the other line. "Are you still on the road?" Crap, can't believe I am lying again, well they do not need to know why I am here anyway.
"Ya, the traffic is terrible,"
"Well some guy from Buckland's called.I thought you'd be back from the estate sale already. I was just calling to see if you and my car were okay."(I got the last part from the actual script)
"Ya, we are fine. Both me and the car," I smirked. It kinda makes me feel like she cares more about that care of hers. The phone beeped, and for a second I thought the line dropped.
"Oh, that's probably Dan," I rolled my eyes.
"You know he just lives twenty feet away from our house. You guys could do walkie talkies, or paper cups with a string.
"Ha Ha, very funny Prue,"
"Alright, go talk to your man, I'll be home in a bit," I hung up and headed for my car, until I noticed someone in the water. Even after all these drownings, people still go into the lake. The next thing I know, the water bubbles and throws the guy off his canoe. I started to run towards the edge, but some guy grabs my arm and stops me from saving him. Oh... if this guy wasn't human I woulda thrown him in there. Great, we lost another innocent, thanks to Scruffy.
"It was already too late for him," I shook him off me.
"God, just go call 911 will ya?" I snapped at him and then headed towards my car.
Piper's Pov
"So what are you doing?" I asked into the phone after I switched back over to my new boyfriend, Dan Gordon, Prue was right, it was pointless to talk to Dan on the phone when I could just go over to next door to speak to him or Dan could come over to the manor. But this realship with Dan was still in the beginning stages and we were still into talking non sense on the phone.
"Eating." Dan said into the phone.
"Eathing what?" I asked as I started down the stairs with a smile on my face.
"Fruit loops." Was his reply.
"How can you eat that stuff. It's pure sugar." I shake my head as I rolled my eyes towards the ceiling.
"Jenny likes it." Dan said in a little boy's voice.
"Oh so if Jenny liked to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge than you will be right there along side her." I couldn't help but put a motherly tone in my voice as I traded quips with Dan. I smiled as I thought when Grams used to do that with Prue, Phoebe and I whenever we tried to get away with things by saying that the other sister did it anyway.
"You bet ya." Dan said. "I'm eating it straight out of the box too."
"Why don't you put the box down and you come over for breakfeast at the manor?" I asked as I walked into the living room where Phoebe and Dad were talking on the couch.
"... Paige like working at South Bay Service Center?"
"On the other hand, Dan, it's not such a great morning for you to be over here." I said quickly turning away from my father and younger sister with a deep frown on my face.
"Ok." Dan said in a hurt voice but he quickly covered it up. "How about you come over and join me in some Fruit Loops than. I'll even give you a bowel and milk to go along with it."
"She likes it." Dad said with a smile. "She is hoping that her boss, Mr. Crowen will give her more cases that she can help out with, so she can prove what a great social worker she can be." He shook his head too and fore, "Paige is too stubbon to wait the proper time to prove her worth. She expects she will be a social worker with her own cases and her own assistant by this time next year."
"Paige can do it. If it's truly meant to be." Phoebe said with a smile and a laugh. "As long as she knows she can't use her powers to promate herself that much faster. Personal gain and all." She rest her head against her right hand which was resting against the throw pillow on the back of the couch.
"Paige very well undestands about personal gain, she had grew up with her powers after all." Victor said with a frown at Phoebe's comment.
I frown as I turn back around to face my father and baby sister. I opened my mouth to say something about Phoebe had every right to imply that Paige would use her magic for peronal grain when Dan's voice came through her my ear "Piper?" I shake my head and quickly said. "I'm sorry Dan, but I have to go. I'll talk to you later." With that I pulled the cordless phone away from me and hit the off button. "Even because Paige grew up with her powers, it wouldn't mean that she wouldn't be tempted to use them for personal gain. Like getting promated at work!" I frowned darkly as I folded my arms across my chest and waving the phone from my left hand.
Victor's POV
"Piper, I have taught Paige well enough that she can't use her magic to get what she wants in this world. She knows that she has to work hard for what she wants in life." I said as I looked tiredly up into my middle daughter's eyes. This wasn't the first time we had this discussion since I came back into my three daughter's lives with my adopted daughter, and unknown to them, their half sister. But Piper was the only one who couldn't let go of her anger over my having choosing to raise Paige, instead of coming home to them twenty one years ago. Prue and Phoebe have thankfully accepted Paige into their family and best of all their hearts.
"How the hell could you as a mortal, you a mere mortal teaching a child of magical powers how to use her powers." Piper shook her head and spit through out of her mouth as she spoke. Her eyes began to turn a fiery sleets. I couldn't help but smile as I thought of her mother, Patty, Piper and Paige both took after their mother so much that I truly wasn't surprised that Piper hadn't warmed up to Paige quickly, but I had hoped that Piper would have warmed up to her half sister by now, it had been six months since I came back into their lives with Paige.
"Why the hell are you smiling for?" Piper growled.
"I was reminded yet again about your mother, Piper. You remind me so much of her, especially when you are angry." I softly said looking my middle daughter fully up into her eyes. I watched as her eyes soften and I hoped that with the menation of her mother, Piper, would calm down and come to her good senses. But I was wrong, way wrong, tragically wrong.
Piper's POV
Mommy. I remind daddy of mommy. But wait he said especially when I'm angry. I don't want to remind him of mom when I'm angry; I want to remind him of mom when I'm happy, when I'm at peace. But how can I be at peace with Paige around. How can I accept Paige into my family when she's not mom's child. How can I accept Paige into the family when she's the one who kept dad away from us. "How dare you bring my mother, up at a time like this." I shook my head as I felt my temper rise and the heat over come my face.
"A time like what?" Dad asked tilting his head.
"When we are bloodly discussing the spawn that you decided to adopt. To raise and to help with her powers instead of being home with your daughters." I spat out as I felt angry tears prick at the conor of my eyes.
"Let it go, Piper, your mother would want you to let this go. She would want you to accept Paige into your heart and to love her. She would want you to open your heart up to your baby sister." Dad softly said with tears in his eyes.
"Phoebe is my baby sister, I have no other sisters other than Prue and Phoebe." I whispered.
Phoebe's POV
Oh my god, again with this old argument? It was bad enough the first time she was full out pissed off about dad adopting Paige, God she even brought up stuff about my past I would have had rather die, and not come back. This is what Piper must have felt like when me and Prue were constantly fighting. "Piper,"
"Don't you Piper me," Piper snapped at me. I resisted the urge to openly roll my eyes at her. God, will this ever stop? "It is true, I only have two other sisters, that.. that .. thing you adopted is not blood, you were lucky we even accepted you back after ditching us, and returing with her," Piper said, venom seeping into her voice.
"Piper," Dad started, his voice firm.
"Dad, excuse me and Piper for a minute will you?" I didn't even wait for an answer, and I dragged Piper in the kitchen. "Piper, sweetie, you know how Dad feels about Paige being in the family."
"She has no place in this family, and neither should he for that matter," I can't stand this anymore, this needs to stop.
"Paige is apart of this family, whether you like it or not," I sighed.
"Not in my mind or heart is she," Piper snapped back.
"Piper, please stop saying that while Dad is here." I pleaded. Yes, she brought me down to pleading.
"Fine, I'm heading to Dan's house for breakfeast," and with that Piper left out the laundry room door. I sighed and headed back out to Dad. Dad was still on the couch. "I'm sorry about that Dad. Piper is still not used to Paige."
"I know,"
"Dad, you really need to stop refering Paige as our sister around her, she is not used to it, and pushing that in her face. You have to admit it Dad, you have not been the best father to me, Prue, and Piper." He sighed, looking like he really wanted to say something but, couldn't. "Dad, I'm sorry. I know this is as hard for you as it is for us,"
Piper's POV
Once outside I looked back towards the house and knew that there was no way I would be kicked out of my home because of talk about Paige. I shake my head and opened the door and walked back into the manor. I sigh as I made myself walk back to the kitchen door and I walked through the kitchen and headed back to the family room. I stopped short when Phoebe's words hit me. Like a ton of bricks.
"Dad, you really need to stop refering Paige asour sister around her," No fucking kidding Phoebe. Thank you for that score at least baby sister of mine. "...she's not used to it," The hell I'm not. And there is no way on this fucking green earth that I will ever get used to it. EVER!
"... have not been the best for to me, Prue, and Piper." It's all Paige's fault. If Paige didn't some how force dad to adopt her when she was two and a half than daddy would have come home to us. I knew very well that I wasn't being fair to Paige, after all Paige was only a two and half year old baby when dad found her. Even at that age Paige wasn't, couldn't have been the manipulative bitch that she was today.
I very well knew that I was being very unfair towards Paige, not getting to know her as Prue and Phoebe had been, not giving her a chance, not allowing myself to welcome her into my family as an adoptive sister. It wasn't her fault that dad had chosen to walk away from us when mom died; hell it wasn't her fault when dad had walked out on the family the first time before Phoebe was even a thought in the wind. No it was magic's fault that dad left his family. But I couldn't very well take my anger and pain out on magic, you can't yell and scream at magic and have it totally undestand you, no, but I can take out my anger and pain on Paige. So Paige is my scape goat. And I have a feeling that's not going to change not for a long time.
I know my sisters and dad see me as a cold harded bitch where Paige is concened; but I can't help how I feel and how I act around her. Dad never should have come back into town with his adopted magical daughter; he should have realized how I would have reacted to the news. But dad doesn't know me; or forgot that one little detail in my DNA make up. Which upsets me too no end. So I have decided to teach dad a good long lesson by being cruel to Paige. I hate myself for doing it, but I can't stop.
"Dad, I'm sorry, I know this is hard on you as it is on me." Phoebe softly said as I walked into the living room.
Phoebe's POV
I should have known Piper would have come back. I shot Dad a warning glance, hoping that he would change his attitude, and maybe the subject so Piper didn't get madder at him than she already was, but he ignored my look, and just focused on Piper. "You ready to act like an adult now Piper?" Oh shit, not the right thing to say Dad.
"Don't get all parental on me now Daddy Dearest." Piper spat back. "Maybe I should be back to calling you Victor, since you seem to love Paige, more than your own daughters," Shit, shit, this needs to end now. I am so sick of this neverending fight.
"Piper, I may have not been there for you and your sisters, but I am still your father-," but Piper cut him off before he could say anymore.
"Since when You only came back to take the Book of Shadows from us, so why are you still staying? It isn't like we aren't forcing you to be with your real daughter," Piper said sarcastically. Victor stood up, and glared at Piper, and I could see he was really trying to control his anger, but his patience was losing this fight.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" I yelled, stepping in between them.
Prue's POVAs I started to unlock the door, I heard Piper yelling at Vic-, Dad. I am not used to calling him Dad, and I don't think I will ever be really comfortable with it. I rolled my eyes as I heard Paige's name thrown into it. Again, Victor and Piper are fighting about Paige. Despite both what Victor and Paige say she is acting like a Halliwell. I closed and locked the door behind me, preparing to stop another fight between them again. As I walked into the living room, Phoebe shouted, "THAT'S ENOUGH!" Phoebe glared at both Piper and Dad with withering glares. "You are both acting immature about this. Piper, I know you are mad at Dad about him adopting Paige, but what is done is done."
Piper shot an evil glance in her direction. "Don't you dare be defending him for being a dead beat Dad?" Victor looked away stung by Piper's words.
Whoa, ok some one's been hanging around me too much. Phoebs needs help, time for me to step in. I put a hand on Dad's shoulder, and turned him around. "Ok, into the kitchen," and I dragged him into the kitchen while Phoebe tried to calm down Piper. "What the hell is going on in there?" I asked bluntly to get to the point. I really need to talk to a calm Piper to deal with our demon. "Please don't tell me you referred Paige as Piper's sister." When he didn't answer, I knew he did. "Nice going, got Piper on a rampage now." I said as I rolled my eyes.
"It's not like I meant to hurt her," Victor admitted. I knew he was holding back on something, but I wasn't in the mood to interrogate him now.
"But you are Dad," I said exasperated, "She is still not over the fact that you practically abandoned us, and then raised another daughter. None of us are, and we are trying to get over it. Even Piper, who seems like she isn't even trying at all, is trying to get over it. For her to do that, you are going to have to stop referring her to our youngest sister,"
"Prue that isn't fair-,"
"We both know life isn't fair, but we have to deal with it," I snapped. I softened my tone as I said, "I already consider her my sister, and as does Phoebe. It is just going to take awhile. Are you willing to do that for her?"
"Of course," Victor said after a moment.
"Good, now lets see how Phoebe is doing with Piper.
Phoebe's POVThank god Prue came, I was not in the mood to dish it out with them both. As Prue and Dad went into the kitchen, I heard Piper mutter, "Asshole," under her breath.
"Piper," I said, my voice calm and even once again, "how many times have we been through this?"
"Not enough," she snapped. I sighed as the Halliwell stubbornness started to radiate off her.
"Piper, you really need to start controlling your hateful thoughts towards Paige. It's not like she forced Dad to adopt her."
"How would you know Phoebe? She could have put a spell on him,"
"When she was that young? I don't think so Piper. Ok, let's just calm down, and hopefully Prue calmed Dad down enough to the point to where we are civil again." Piper finally started to calm down, and I put an arm around her. "See, it wasn't too hard," Piper playfully smacked me. Ok, much better. Migraine go away now.
Prue came in with Dad, and luckily he looked calmer. "As much as I would love to continue this never-ending debate, we need to talk about something, a demonic something."
Prue's POV"What do you mean by demonic something?" Piper asked. "I thought you were in traffic, on your way home. No demon or warlock is dumb enough to attack in front of the public." She asked suspiciously.
"Ok, so maybe I wasn't driving when you called. I was at the lake," I said, knowing they would know which lake I meant.
"Where Mom died?" Phoebe squeaked. "Why would you go there?"
"Just to think. Anyways, a demon was in the water and attacked, but some scraggy old man stopped me from saving our innocent.
Victor's POV
I looked quickly over at Prue. "Some scraggy looking guy?" I couldn't help but coak out. That could only be one man, a man I quite frankly wasn't ready to face again. "Describe him." I folded my arms across my chest.
"5'7, hazel eyes, thin, straight nose with a slite lift to it, a deep clit in the middle of his chin, white hair and scaggy white bread." Prue rattled quickly off. "Quite frankly the bread doesn't suit him."
He was older from the last time I laid eyes on him, but he was the same man.
"Do you know him Victor?" Prue asked looking at me with a weird look in her eyes.
"Long time ago." I said with a sigh in my voice. "He's quite harmless and a innocent." I said unfolding my arms from my chest.
I knew he was an innocent dad." Prue said in a strange voice still looking at me. "Who is he?" She suddenly asked.
"It's not for me to tell you." I shook my head. "Look, I hate to leave this mystery with you girls, but I promised Paige, that I would meet her for lunch." With a wave I rushed away from my daughters and out of the manor.
Piper's POV
"Ok, who else thought that was very strange?" Phoebe said after dad had rushed from the manor. "We just finished breakfest for crying out loud."
"I haven't eaten yet." I pointed outt.
"It is only ten o' clock." Phoebe said over my voice. "I mean you seriously can't even have a proper brunch until after eleven."
"You know Victor always on the move, when an idea hits him." Prue said with a tight nod.
"Dad's always on the move whenever he feels like Paige is in danger." I shook my head. I wasn't angry at dad for chosing Paige over us, because I had watched dad's face closely when Prue had first broken the news of the demon at the lake where mom had met her death. It wasn't the demon that had dad freaked out, no it was the scaggy man. "I wonder who the man is that has dad so freaked out?" I mused as I sat down in the over stuffed chair next to the cofee table.
Prue sighed thru her nose. "I don't know. But as I told dad, he's a innoncent."
"Wonder what this man's connection to Paige is?" I looked over at Phoebe who had the same look in her eyes as I knew I had, I looked over at Prue who had a closed up experssion on her face.
"Why don't we ask Leo to look into it?" Phoebe shrugged her shoulders.
"Why Leo's our white lighter, NOT Paige's." I shake my head. "I don't think we should brother Leo with this. Not when we can find out for ourselves." I firmly stated.
END CHAPTER TWO