Piper's POV

I sighed deeply as I was sitting in my normal chair at the kitchen table, Leo had followed me into the room after I had so rudely in his eyes of course slammed the door in Paige's face.

"Piper, I think we need to begin the search around the manor." Leo said as he rolled up his sleeves of his long pull over sweatshirt.

I glared at him, "So you are in this with the Elders, Leo!" I shook my head. "You probably told them to cause this poison ivy to spread so that I have to go through mom's personal effects to find a way to vanquish the water demon that killed her."

Leo sighed deeply. "Piper, you know that I would never intentionally allow anything bad to happen to you or your sisters." He held up his right hand. "All I was told was that the way to vanquish the water demon is to be found at the lake and the manor it self. The Elders thought you would be the best sister to go through Patty's personal things."

I felt tears come to my eyes and spill over onto my checks, "Why because I have mom's powers."

"In part." Leo came over and sat down next to me. "But you also have her heart and her soul. Out of all you girls, you share your mother's spirit and your mother's fight for a normal life out of witch craft."

I took a few minutes to compose myself once more, I stood to my feet and nodded. "Ok let's get on it than." I turned and left the kitchen with Leo behind me.

Paige's POV

I sighed as I looked at the manor once more, it was going to be locked up tight against me today, Piper sure didn't want me around. I was saddened over this because I truly wanted to be there to take care of her and comfort her. I wanted to be in there when she found mom's love letters to Sam. I sighed deeply knowing that it was best for everyone if I stayed out of the discovery of mom's affair with Sam until the time the was right for me to reveal that I was their half sister.

I put myself in this situation anyway because I didn't want my sisters to know who I'm truly am in relation to them yet. I had full intentions on telling them when I first met them, but all hell broke lose the first moment Piper and Phoebe set eyes on me. I knew than that it was too soon, that they would have ended up hating me for telling them that their mother had an affair against their father and conceived a bastard child.

With one last look at the manor I walked around my bug and opened the drivers side and slipped in the seat. I shut the door and started the car and drove away down the street just thinking about the first night at the Halliwell manor.

Prue's POV

I sat down in my chair after I had sent Jack out of my office. I was in a heavy black mood, not over this stupid and very unnecessary quest that Sam has decided to send us on. But having Victor out at the lake, like he had all the right in the world to be there getting in the way of us vanquishing the water demon that had killed mom. Victor had no right to be with us, ever.

I turned to my computer and turned it on and quickly typed in the data that Darryl had given me, I also typed in my own thoughts of the painting. I waited for the search to come up with something. My cell phone rang suddenly starting me, I jerked it out of my black leather jacket pocket and looked down, 'PAIGE' it read. I sighed as I opened the phone and hit talk. "Yeah what do you want?" I said in a hard voice.

"Prue?" Paige said in an unsure voice. "Ummm I can call you later, if you are busy."

I blinked. I sighed gently. "I'm sorry Paige, I'm just in a horrible mood right now." I leaned back in my chair. "Why have you called?"

I heard Paige swallow in hard breath on the other end and knew that I messed up. Great just great, not only do I have to deal with Victor today but I have to deal with Paige's insecurities also. "Paige..." I started again. "You probably just wanted to talk...so what's up?" I asked her lightly rubbing my face with my free hand.

"I'm sorry to be such a brother, Prue, I know that I should be more at home with you by now. I mean all you have been is nice to me since the first time you met me." She sighed. "I'm sorry, really, just Piper won't allow me to help her at the manor so I'm just going off my disappointment over that."

"You did what?" I asked, dropping my free hand. "Paige...I know you are worried about Piper, but she is...not in the best state of mind right now," especially since she hates you so much I thought to myself.

Paige sighed on her end of the line. "I wanted to help her, show her that she has nothing to fear from me," She sighed once more. "Dumb idea huh?"

"No Paige...it was really thoughtful, and it shows that you aren't mad at her or holding anything against her after all that's happened. Just give her some time," I advised her in a sisterly tone of voice. "Look I am kind of busy right now, but you are more than welcome to come over for lunch," I offered.

"I would love that." Paige said in a relieved happy voice. "What time do you want me there?"

"Umm my break is going to start in about an hour," I said to her. Hopefully I will be calm by then, and won't say anything stupid about Victor. "You are more than welcome to come in around then,"

"Thanks Prue." Paige paused on her end. "Prue ... never mind. I'll see you in an hour." With that she hung up her end of the phone.

I was hard at work at my computer, I was still trying to find the information that we needed on how Sam got that painting and why it wasn't hanging up in a museum in Paris or somewhere. But I was getting no answers just some pointless and needless background information on the artist. My head came up when their was a knock on my door. "Come in," I said in an agitated voice.

The door opened and Paige walked in with a uneasy smile on her face, "I can come back later, Prue, if you have more work to do." She turned to leave. No...it was about break time anyways.

"No Paige...I need a break from this work anyways," I murmured slinging my purse over my shoulder. "Where do you want to go?"

Paige looked at me than lowered her eyes, than lifted her eyes once more. I noticed that her right hand was shaking a little, I walked over and put my right hand on her arm. "What's the matter Paige?"

"Nothing." Paige said quickly and tried to back away but I just tightened my grip. "Really I'm fine Prue,"

"Paige...I know you are still bugging about Piper..." I told her.

"Piper just needs some time," Paige told me. I don't think time alone will just do it. I mean Piper wanted to kill her at one point...and nearly did.

"Paige, Piper needs more than that. She still has those feelings she had when she attacked you," I said. Paige's eyes narrowed at me, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I love her like one of my own sisters, but she is just in the mindset that a demon nearly killed her.

"That wasn't Piper," Paige said stubbornly.

I sighed through my nose and blew out my hot air. "Fine, I don't want to fight with you over this." I frowned. "At least for today, I all ready have a lot more pressing matters on my mind as it is."

"Oh anything that I can help you with?" Paige asked tilting her head to the side.

I stepped back. "I'm trying to find out about a painting but the data base isn't giving me the information that I'm looking for." I saw Paige's eyes light up and than she lowered her eyes so I couldn't look in them. My eyes narrowed. "You know something...spill," Paige shook her head. "God you are stubborn like your father," I snapped. I can't even say Victor's name right now; I am way too pissed off at him for that. "Maybe we should just reschedule this little lunch thing," I said turning away from her, rubbing my hand tiredly over my face.

Paige sighed. "He's your father also, more yours than mine."

I didn't bother to respond I just sat down at my desk and turned towards the computer ready to beat the damn thing, when all a sudden information started to spew out quicker than my eyes could read it. I looked up with wide eyes. "How did you do this?" I demanded.

Paige shook her head. "I didn't." She said her hands resting lightly down at her side, but she had a pleased look on her face. I knew she was lying. "Spill it, now." I snared through my teeth.

"I'm sorry Prue, but I have nothing to tell." Paige said, I could tell she was hiding something. She had the same look that Phoebe had when Phoebe was trying to keep something back.

"If you have nothing to do, then please show yourself to the door," I said with a wave, making the door open up slightly.

"Prue..." Paige started.

"No...if you are just going to be hiding something than please leave," I said to her.

Paige sighed deeply, she looked me straight in the eyes. "All I can tell you is that you have help from unknowing places. All the trouble that you are going through on finding out what you need to know is for a reason." With that she turned and left the office. But she paused and looked back at me. "I love you Prue." With that she turned and walked down the hallway.

God...she infuriates me when she does this. She definitely has been hanging out with Victor way too much. Oh well...time to take this info to the lake so I can get Victor away from the place where Mom died. Bastard had no right to be there in the first place, I thought to myself as I printed out the information.

My phone rang and I opened it and read 'PIPER' I pushed the talk button. "What's going on Piper?" I said as I put the phone under my shoulder so I could take the papers out of the machine.

I heard Piper sigh deeply, "I can't stand this Prue, I can't stand it any longer!"

"What's going on in your search of the manor?" I asked in a somewhat annoyed voice.

"Not good." Piper said with a snort.

"I'm not having much luck over here either," I said, with an angry sigh.

Piper's POV

"I can't believe that Leo knew that the Elders were planning on making my poison ivy worse." I snorted through my nose.

"Not surprising." Prue said in a distracted voice. I sighed deeply, "Prue, it would actually help if you listen with at least a half an ear at my rant. I do that with you and Phoebe all the time," I snorted. "But whom I'm talking too, Saint Prue doesn't think t hat Piper has problems, at least any serious problems that she needs to get off her chest. No Piper the middle child, the peacemaker of the family, the calm one, always has her emotions under control." My voice rose as I stared at the box of mom's that I haven't had the guts to open up quite yet. The box that had actually been sitting in my eye sight for a hour. The box that caused me to call Prue.

"I don't have time for a melt down right now, Piper, I'm actually on my way back to the lake to kill Victor." Prue said still not listening to me.

I rolled my eyes. I turned my eyes off the box finally, "Don't kill daddy, Prue." I said in a tired voice.

"Piper, are you all right?" Prue asked finally in a concerned voice. "Are you in major pain?"

I shook my head. "The pain I can handle, it's just this situation that I can't handle any longer."

"Piper, I know that I take you for granted at times, I am sorry for that. But I promise you honey after the water demon is vanquish you and I will have heart to heart." Prue said softly in my ear. "I would like that, but I truly don't need it." I said pushing my emotions back inside me.

"What was that rant about me being Saint Prue and I don't think that Piper has problems ..." Prue said in a knowing voice.

"That's just my bad temper speaking was all, Prue. Everything is fine, really." I said as I turned back to stare at the box once more. The box that I had a feeling would change my life forever. The box that I was so afraid to even touch.

"So is that why you slammed the door in Paige's face?" Prue asked. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Trust that interloper to go running and telling tales on me at her earliest chance. "Stay out of that situation, Prue, it doesn't concern you."

"If it concerns your emotions which is connected to your powers, Piper, than yes it concerns me." Prue said with a deep sigh. "Very much." She added in the end.

"What did Paige do coming crying to you, as she always seems to do whenever I am, what is it that you and Phoebe call it – yes when I'm a total bitch towards her." My temper was rising once more.

"I think the word that I personally used was witch." Prue said in an annoyed voice. "Look Piper, we will get into this tonight, but we have a demon to vanquish right now, so I have go." With that she hung up her end of the phone without saying a proper good bye.

I lowered the phone and hit the off button and went back to staring at the box.

Prue's POV

I managed to duck my boss, and Jack and headed into my car. Starting it up, I finally got out of the parking lot and headed towards the lake. That lake used to be a haven for when I could sort out my emotions...ever since Andy died, I have been going there more and more. Victor just had to ruin that for me...he just had to come back. Pushing my anger down, I just focused on driving. Soon I was back in the place where I really didn't want to be right now. I killed the ignition and stalked over towards Sam's shack.

Phoebe's eyes widened in surprise seeing me so soon. "Prue...you find anything?" Instead of saying anything to Phoebe, and glared at Victor.

"Next time you have useful information Victor, please just tell us so we won't waste anymore fucking time. Both you and Paige knew that Sam bought this painting...years and years ago. Sam is doing some major identity theft, or he's a freaking whitelighter," I growled through my teeth. I turned my head upwards. "DO you assholes hear me up there?" I shouted. "I am not doing this scavenger hunt shit anymore! Either you just tell us the information straight or I am bagging this witch crap!"

"Prue..." Victor said, apparently trying to calm me down by putting a hand on my shoulder. I grabbed it, and wrenched it painfully before letting loose a punch across his jaw. Phoebe's hand covered my fist, and pulled me away from Victor.

"Did you really have to do that Prue!?" Phoebe whispered sharply.

"I warned him many times today, not to touch me," I muttered darkly.

Phoebe's POV

"Daddy..." I whispered, helping him to his feet once again. He moved his jaw lightly with his hand and I pushed back the tears that were forming in my eyes, and wrapped my arms around his waist. For what it was worth, Daddy gave me a small smile.

"I'm ok Phoebe..." he whispered, rubbing my back. "I deserved that.." he murmured.

Andy's POV

Once again I looked down on what was happening, and sighed. Why did I come up here when Prue clearly needs me still? Mrs. Halliwell was next to me and I bit back another sigh. "Andy...I know that you really want to help Prue...but looking down isn't going to help very much,"

"Like you should know," I snapped. "I should be able to go down over there, and help her. And it would help if those damn Elders would just let them get to the point. And you shouldn't be helping them with this..." I shot and once again just saw Prue looking very alone. She has lost every single person that has ever loved her, and know that Victor has returned with Paige...I could literally feel her loneliness radiating off of her. Once again I felt myself going down to Earth in spirit form, and enveloped Prue into a hug. She sighed, and felt her nearly sag.

"Andy..." Prue murmured.

Victor's POV

I sighed, "Yes Sam is a White lighter. He had lived in the 1800's and he died in 1824." I walked over to the desk and shifted through some of the papers on it. I held up the paper that I wanted. "He was a high school teacher in New York." I handed the paper over to Phoebe.

She looked down at it. "Teacher of the year. Impressive." She looked back up into my eyes. "So Sam was mom's whitelighter than."

I simply nodded.

"Why didn't you just tell us this in the beginning," Phoebe said with a shake of her head. "I mean we all ready know what whitelighters are, seeing how Leo is our very own." She shrugged her shoulders as she set the paper down next to the painting.

"I would have told you girls sooner, when I first arrived back home, but you three still haven't discovered whitelighters yet. Leo hadn't made himself known yet." I sighed deeply as I tucked my hands in my pockets. "It wasn't my place."

Prue raised an eye brow.

I looked straight in her eyes. "It wasn't my place."

Prue just rolled her eyes.

"You still have some things to find out before you can vanquish the water demon." I backed away. "I am now going for a walk and leaving you two girls alone." I walked to the door and turned around. "You two are too remain here at the lake, all will be known before too long." With that I left the cabin.

Phoebe's POV

I looked at Daddy's retreating form and sighed. I could clearly see how peeved Prue was at this whole situation. To be honest it was annoying that the Elders didn't just tell us what we needed to know. It would make our lives a little less stressful. "Isn't that nice of daddy," I began to say with a smile when Prue shook her head and snorted. My smile wiped clean away and I simply sighed.

"How dare Victor order us to remain at the lake." Prue snared. "Who gave him the right to order us around. Who is he to us?"

"He's our father." I softly said.

"He's no father of mine." Prue growled deep in her throat.

"You don't mean that, Prue. You are just saying this because you don't want to open yourself up to get hurt again." I walked over and put my right hand on her shoulder. "The hurt emotion is what life is all about honey, it's not right to hide or run from it."

"Its not right that he conspires with those asshole out there, and then expects us to go on some scavenger hunt instead of telling us straightforward," she said ripping my hand off of her shoulder. "Stop trying to convince me that he is some godsend to us,"

"He's our father, Prue. He's trying to protect us as best as he can." I said softly as I watched my oldest sister walk away from me. "If he could vanquish the water demon and all the evil in the world himself, than he would. He ..."

"He can just stay out of my life," Prue snapped, turning to face me. "I don't care if he wants to be in your's and Piper's lives, but he can just stay out of mine. If he wants to help us with the witch thing...he should just stay the hell out of it,"

"Prue..." I sighed.

"Phoebe...I don't want to talk about this," Prue sighed. I followed her as she continued to walk on, and was glad to see that she didn't object. "You know...I used to come here a lot growing up," I looked at her in surprise. I thought that she wouldn't want to be here...considering she saw Mom in a body bag. "I felt more connected to Mom when I was here...gave me a sense of security that I was missing...that I didn't need to be a grown up all the time,"

"Prue sweetie..." I said to her, looping my arm through hers. "You know that you can talk to me about these things...especially about Mom..."

"Now that...he is back in our lives...and that he is here..." Prue explained to me. "It doesn't feel right. He wasn't there for us when we needed him back in our lives most; and yet I felt like Mom's spirit was here taking care of me every time I visited. That is more than he did for me, for us in our life time," Prue shot. I know saying anything positive about Daddy, she would just make negative, so I just stopped her walking, to pull her into a sisterly embrace.

Piper's POV

I looked up and found Leo leaning against the wall with a worried look on his face, "I have a feeling you know exactly what's in this box." I said in a tense voice. He just simply nodded. I felt hot anger enter my soul. "What is in it that is going to change my life forever?" I asked in a dead calm voice.

"I can't say." Leo said softly.

"Like hell you can't." I seethed.

"It's not my story to tell." Leo said in a calm voice.

"Who's story is it than?" I felt my heart race.

"Who know who's." Leo said not looking away from my eyes.

"Leave." I said in a dead voice, and I watched with deep sadness as Leo turned and walked away. I wanted to call him back. I wanted him beside me as I lifted the lid of my mother's box. I needed him beside me as I learned the darkest secrets of my mother's soul. I needed him to be my strength in my time of weakness. But I kept my mouth shut and Leo left my sight.

I finally turned back to the box and ever slowly reached out my hands to touch the lid. I took a bated breath as I lifted it to revel ...

END CHAPTER FIFTEEN