A/N: Hey guys! Thanks so much for all the reviews! I'm glad everyone is enjoying the fic so much!
RandyOrtonxWifexx: Yes! Lol. That poor clock.. I don't know how they managed to fix it so many times.. There wasn't an episode where they addressed that, too, but I don't remember it. It was hysterical though.
Guest: Thanks! I thought Bex would be cute, and it also sounds like something a mother might call a young daughter, like a silly nickname from when Rebecca was maybe 5, and it just stuck.
lizardmomma: Nope, it's not good at all! And poor Rebecca doesn't even know ANY of this... yet.. – Evil smirk. –
I wanted to apologize for not updating yesterday. I was feeling a little under the weather. But at least you had gotten 2 chapters the day before, right?! Lol. Well, anyway, here's Chapter 9. Please read, review, and enjoy!
...
Halliwell Manor was magnificent. At least, to Rebecca it was. The old Victorian structure and design were breath taking. And, for some inexplicable reason, she felt a strong sense of power wash over her as she walked into the foyer. She shivered a little, setting her bag down and staring around, taking it all in.
"You have a lovely home," Paige remarked, voicing Rebecca's thoughts. "I didn't get a chance to mention it before." She sounded sheepish, almost nervous. Rebecca frowned at her mother in confusion.
"Thank you," Piper said with a nod. "It's been in our family for a long time."
"Mom?"
Pipe, Phoebe, Paige, and Rebecca all looked up, startled. Corrine, Melinda, and Katelyn stood at the top of the grand staircase, looking confused.
"Girls, Paige and Rebecca will be spending the night..." Phoebe replied, trying to convey her message to them without saying too much. Rebecca still had no clue that demons and witches existed, or that a demon was after her. She wasn't sure how, exactly, Paige wanted to explain that to her daughter.
Katelyn nodded, understanding sparkling in her eyes. Maybe it was the visions, the shared power of premonition she had with her mother now. Whatever it was, she understood.
"Hey, Rebecca," Katelyn said with a warm smile. She motioned for her to follow them. "Bring your stuff up and we'll find you a place to sleep." She nudged her cousins.
"Oh..." Corrine said stiffly, before a jab to the rib and Katelyn's expression gave her pause. Then, understanding bloomed in her eyes. "Oh! Right. Sure. Come on, Rebecca."
Rebecca gave Paige a wary glance, but Paige nodded for her to go on.
"Melinda," Piper called, before her daughter could disappear upstairs. Melinda hesitated, but nodded for her cousins to take Rebecca and go. When they were out of site, Melinda trudged down to her mother.
"She doesn't know, Mel," Piper warned. "Don't tell her yet. And don't let her near the attic. Got it?"
Melinda nodded. "Sure." She glanced at Paige, a suspicious look on her face. Rebecca didn't know... but Paige knew?
Piper quirked a brow. She and Phoebe hadn't had a chance to tell the girls that Paige was related to them. But it would have to wait. She cleared her throat, and Melinda slunk off, glancing back and giving Paige one more truly confused frown before she went in search of her cousins.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige settled into the living room. The silence was long, and awkward.
"So..." Phoebe began, trying to break the ice.
"Look, I'm still trying to understand everything that happened," Paige said, cutting Phoebe off. "I believe it. I believe everything you told me, everything I saw, everything... Patty told me." She couldn't quite bring herself to call Patty her mom yet. "But that doesn't mean I like it. I'm here because you said Rebecca was in danger. So, let's start there."
Piper and Phoebe exchanged looks. Piper nodded at Phoebe to explain, since it was her daughter's vision that had set off this chain of events.
"Katelyn's premonition showed Rebecca being attacked."
"By a demon..." Paige said slowly, still trying to wrap her mind around it.
Phoebe nodded. "Katelyn doesn't get premonitions, though. It's not her power. I still don't understand how that happened. But we can stop it, now that we're prepared."
Paige looked hopeful. "You mean, you can change the outcome of your... premonitions?"
Phoebe nodded, smiling softly.
"Usually," Piper cautioned. Phoebe scowled at her, and Piper glared back. To Paige, she said, "Look, I don't want to tell you that everything will be all rainbows and kittens. Sometimes, we can't stop what's meant to be. But in most cases, we've managed to change the outcome and save our Innocent."
"So what do we need to do?" Paige asked, after a long pause, looking sick.
"Well," Piper said hesitantly. "We know she was attacked here, at the Manor. And we know-."
"Wait," Paige snapped. "She's attacked here, and you brought her here?"
Phoebe winced. "Well, well... Yes. Because we're the strongest here. The Manor is our battleground. Our Book of Shadows is here. We are stronger here, together. We can protect her, Paige."
Paige did not looked convinced. If anything, she grew paler.
"There's one thing though." Piper glanced at Phoebe, then at Paige. "We need to know more about you. Since, apparently, you're our sister and our Sister Witch. You are meant to help us reconstitute the Power of Three. If we are to protect Rebecca, you need to learn what your powers are, and how to use them. Fast."
"Oh, is that all?" Paige snapped, feeling lightheaded.
Piper and Phoebe exchanged glances, then looked at Paige, and nodded.
...
"I know my floor isn't the most comfortable place to sleep," Katelyn apologized to Rebecca. "But we'll get you a sleeping bag and lots of blankets and pillows. Or, maybe we have an air mattress," she considered, wondering if she could magic one into existence.
Corrine and Melinda sat on Katelyn's bed, watching Rebecca with interest. Corrine seemed indifferent, while Melinda remained concerned. Katelyn had had that premonition for a reason. No one could explain why, but it meant they were supposed to protect her.
Rebecca fidgeted, nodding. "Thanks. Uhm, this is kind of weird. I-I'm sorry. I mean, this doesn't mean we need to be friends or... or anything," she mumbled, looking away.
Awkward silence followed this proclamation. No one knew how to respond.
"Can I... Uhm, I mean..." Rebecca chewed her lip. "Bathroom?"
"Down the hall, on the left," Melinda replied.
Rebecca nodded and slipped out of the room. She closed Katelyn's door behind her, and slid down the wall, into a sitting position. She had completely made a fool out of herself. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment.
"Rebecca..."
Rebecca jumped, looking around. But no one was in the hall. She stood shakily, walking a few steps before pausing to listen.
"Rebecca..."
Shivering, Rebecca followed the voice to a staircase that led up to another level of the house. Attic? She wondered. She placed her hand on the wooden railing.
"Rebecca..."
This time, the voice was louder. She was definitely going in the right direction. The question was... Should she keep following?
Cautiously, she made her way up the steps to the closed attic door.
"Rebecca..."
Someone was definitely on the other side, calling to her...
Taking a deep breath, Rebecca grasped the door handle, and turned.