A/N: Written for my good friend the stargate time traveler who is as addcited to Mildred as I am the Hallows. Enjoy

Chapter Sixty-Four

An Unlikely Connection

A month went by and they didn't hear anything from the social worker so they didn't know if Mr and Mrs Hallow had confessed or not but none of them were to worried about that now, they were to busy trying to stop Prue getting into trouble, she had learned a new talent. Crawling.

Like many babies once she realised she could go somewhere without help she was everywhere and you had to watch her like a hawk. Everyone still remembered the first time she crawled.

Julie had been cooking dinner for everyone and the girls were doing various thing when they heard Ethel scream, thinking she or Prudence was injured they rushed into the front room to find Ethel holding Prudence and crying hard.

"She is crawling...look" Ethel said as she placed Prudence down. The little girl took a few seconds to regain her balance and then crawled towards her family happily.

"Prue you are so smart and big" Esmerelda told her picking her up and squeezing her before she passed her to everyone else who did the same.

A week after she had learned to crawl Mildred was sat in her bedroom drawing trying to stop the hurt she felt inside. She knew Prudence liked her but she had not crawled to her yet, everyone else but her. She understood, Ethel was her mother, Esmerelda was her aunt and she had slept in the same room with her since birth. Sybil was her other biological aunt and Julie was her granny. Mildred couldn't help feeling upset though. She sighed trying not to think about it and kneeled on her floor to get a pencil sharpener when she saw Prudence crawling into her room.

"Hey Prudie, come here" Mildred said beckoning her on, hoping she didn't break her heart by turning around and leaving. Prue made a happy noise and crawled to Mildred until she was at her feet. Mildred could have cried as she picked her up.

"Oh Prudence, I was starting to think you didn't love me" Mildred told her kissing her cheek as the baby giggled but even as she did she couldn't help seeing that the baby looked overwhelmed.

"What is wrong, is auntie Esmie coddling you to much?" Mildred asked knowing what the eldest blonde was like. Prue looked at her with an annoyed look and Mildred laughed.

"She just loves you so much Prudie, she finds it hard to leave you alone" Mildred told her as she stroked her head gently. Prue looked extra gorgeous today as Ethel had put two tiny ponytails in her little head of blonde hair.

"You misses turn more blonde everyday" Mildred told her with a chuckle but Prue wasn't listening she was trying to pick up Mildred's drawings and squealed as she seemed to like the pictures.

"Oh do you like them baby? Look that is Nightstar" Mildred told her and Prue looked at her in wonderment.

"Do you want to see?" Mildred asked as she started drawing and Prue watched her making the strokes on the paper fascinated.

"Maybe you will be a famous artist one day" Mildred told her when suddenly Ethel walked in.

"Prudie don't crawl off like that you scared mummy" Ethel scowled her, out of breath and red faced clearly in a panic as she couldn't find her baby.

"You could have told me she was here" Ethel said frustrated and annoyed as she had been safe all this time and she had being looking all over the flat for her.

"I am sorry Ethel I didn't know you were looking for her" Mildred told her foster sister with a sigh.

"Alright, don't worry….what are you doing anyway?" Ethel asked more reasonable than she used to be. She knew Mildred wouldn't hurt Prudence after all.

"I am showing her my drawings, don't be mad, she crawled in and started looking at them, I didn't do it on purpose" Mildred told her foster sister not wanting them to have a fight.

Ethel opened her mouth to say something then saw Prue was still looking at the drawings and closed it again as she watched her. Ethel kneeled down next to Prue and smiled.

"I suppose it isn't going to hurt her" Ethel said as Prue squealed in delight as she saw her mother.

"Really? You are okay with it?" Mildred asked shocked. She thought Ethel would hate Prudence taking an interest in anything to do with the non-magical world.

"Well….she is going to be raised in the non-magical world isn't she? She is going to be interested in things to do with it so I can't really stop her" Ethel replied with a shrug before giggling as Prue picked up one of Mildred's coloured pencils.

"Hey misses, that is mine!" Mildred told her before tickling her and Ethel smiled at them.

"Thanks Ethel, I think it is wise of you to let her learn, it could in handy for her to know about both worlds, I mean look what happened to Esmie when she was thrown into the non-magical world without knowing a thing about it" Mildred told her not believing Prue would end up losing her magic as well, but they didn't know the future. Anything could happen.

"True….I just want her to be happy….even if it is in the non-magical world" Ethel told Mildred who smiled thinking that was a good decision. She laughed then as Prue made a gurgle and gave the pencil she had picked up to Ethel.

"Thank you baby, that is kind of you" Ethel told her laughing at her daughter's cuteness.

"Might have the next Leonardo De Vinci here" Mildred said before she looked up and saw Ethel giving her a confused look.

"He was a famous painter" Ethel explained and Ethel nodded in understanding.

"Well if it will make her happy, she can be a famous painter" Ethel replied before Mildred smiled.

"I think she came to me as Esmerelda was being to full on" Mildred explained trying to make a joke and hoping Ethel didn't take it the wrong way.

"Oh I don't blame her, sometimes you can barely breathe because Esmerelda is there every time you take a step, she is a nightmare sometimes" Ethel told Mildred who nodded in agreement.

Mildred laughed in agreement, Esmerelda could really be annoying sometimes. Ethel picked up Prue and sat her on her lap so she could watch Mildred.

"I think she likes seeing the strokes, you will be the star of art lessons by the time you start at Cackles" Mildred told her as Prue looked at her picture and pointed happily at Tabby walking around.

"Clever girl! It is Tabby" Mildred said. At hearing his name Tabby ran over and purred wanting some strokes. Tabby rubbed against Prue and licked her face gently, in a protective way.

"Carefully Tabby, she is little" Mildred told her cat knowing he would never hurt her on purse but knowing he could get a bit overexcited. Prue though clapped her hands and touched Tabby happily.

"Gently Prue" Ethel told her as she stroked the cat who didn't seem to mind that she was patting him hard on the head.

"Ethel" Mildred said distracting her. She looked up smiling.

"Yes?" she asked holding Prue around the waist

"I am glad that we are sisters now, I know we got off to a bad start but I am glad I convinced my mother to take you and your sisters in" Mildred told her and Ethel looked at her confused for a moment until she smiled.

"I am glad too Mildred, thank you for convincing your mum, even when I didn't deserve your kindness" she told Mildred who beamed. Ethel stood up then and put Prue in her arms to carry her.

"It is getting late we best start getting her ready for bed, want to help me give her a bath?" Ethel asked Mildred who smiled, happy to be included.

"Yes please" Mildred said as she followed Ethel and Prudence and smiled at them.

"Come on baby, should your auntie and I give you a bathy?" Ethel said to Prue and Mildred had to refrain from crying, Ethel had not refrained to her as Prue's auntie before. Not them exact words anyway. Mildred found herself hugging Ethel who looked shocked but hugged back as Prue giggled before they walked into the bathroom.

Mildred could not of being happier in that moment. People always told her it was impossible for her and Ethel to ever find a way to get on with one another but they had proved them wrong, they were not just living as friends but as sisters and family and Mildred was so glad her and Ethel had finally managed to connect with one another.