To Be Charmed
Chapter Eight
Saving Grams
This chapter starts off in January of 1995, four months after the last chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed at all!
The days had blurred together to form weeks, and just like that, the new year was upon the world. The residents of Halliwell Manor were still reveling in the Christmas spirit. The tree and holiday décor had yet to be boxed up and dragged back to storage in the basement. The Manor had minor changes in the past four months, such as welcoming back two past residents Prue and Piper. A month after Penny gave her approval for them to move back, they sold all of their furniture from the apartment and packed their bags. They helped Paige move her clothing and belongings to Phoebe's room and they set up shop in Piper's old room.
The day was January 2, 1995. Phoebe and Paige started their new semester that following Monday, the ninth. As for Penny, Prue, and Piper, work life went on like normal. Penny had taken up cleaning houses that had been foreclosed. At the bank, Piper had been promoted to manager and got a raise. Prue kept working hard at the museum. The three salaries made sure the Halliwell women would never want for anything.
Prue woke up promptly at 6:15. She made up her side of the bed she shared with Piper and collected her bathrobe. While in the shower, se directed the loofa with her power as she washed her hair. She was done in under thirty minutes. Taking care to not wake Piper, she dressed in her favorite skirt and blouse combo: a sleeveless dove grey, boat-necked top and a swishy deep purple skirt that ended just below her knees. She placed her feet in standard black pumps and made her way downstairs, where she met Phoebe and Paige, who were eating breakfast.
"Good morning!" Prue smiled. She was graced with identical looks of indifference. "Tough crowd. Where's Grams?"
"In the attic," Phoebe answered.
"She said not to bother her," Paige said, spooning up the last bit of her Lucky Charms cereal.
"Did she say what she's doing up there?" Prue asked, starting to get irritated.
"Not a clue," Phoebe said.
Prue sighed and filled her plate with eggs, bacon, a waffle, and toast before joining her sisters at the kitchen table. Neither of her sisters offered to strike up a conversation, so Prue took in her baby sisters' outfits instead. Phoebe had her long hair up in a messy bun with two barrettes on one side. She was wearing a dark blue long sleeved V-neck top with shredded jeans and battered sneakers. Paige, on the other hand, was dressed in a rather dressy top and black trousers. She had black ankle boots on and her raven hair was done up in a French twist.
"What's with the professionalism, Paige?" Prue asked,
"I have an interview today. It's at a social services office."
"And I'm taking her." Phoebe dunked her dishes into the sink and walked off into the parlor.
"Okay, did Phoebe wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something? She's been acting weird lately." Paige smiled.
"Actually, she did wake up on the wrong side of the bed! Apparently, we both sleep on the side of the bed closest to the door. We played rock-paper-scissors and I won, so I get to sleep by the door for the rest of this week," Paige said. Prue stifled a laugh. Phoebe's days of getting her way were over!
"Morning," said Piper, holding in a yawn. Her hair was mussed up and she was still in her pajamas.
"Morning." Paige grabbed a slice of toast and headed to where Phoebe was waiting. "Ready?"
"No-has anyone seen my lace scarf?" Phoebe hollered.
"No." Prue, Piper, and Paige replied. Phoebe threw her hands up in a 'Okay, great' gesture. As soon as she put her hands on jeans, she was sucked into a premonition!
Piper was getting dressed in the bathroom. Hanging on the door, was her shiny silver scarf. Piper took the scarf off the door and tied it around her neck.
"Phoebe? Are you okay?" Paige asked, holding her hands over her,
"Yeah-yeah. I just, um, I just had a vision. I saw my scarf. It's in the bathroom. Piper was wearing it."
"Do you want to go get it?"
"No, that's okay. At least I'll know where to look for it next time. Let's go." Phoebe followed her sister out the door, shutting it behind her as Prue and Piper watched.
"Whose car do you think she's taking?" Piper inquired.
"Not mine, I hope," Prue prayed.
~TBC Chapter Eight~
"Wait one second! You're telling me that my granddaughters have two Whitelighters? Why?"
The Elder standing in front of Penny did not flinch as the powerful witch squalled at him. He merely folded his arms and placed his hands in his robe's large sleeves. He was not frightened of Penelope Halliwell!
"Yes, Penelope." Penny glared at the use of her 'proper' name. "The Council believes it will be best this way. The Charmed Ones have their destiny. Paige's destiny, however, is unknown."
"When will we know Paige's destiny?"
"We're not sure, but, rest assured, she will be ready."
"And just how do you know?"
"Adam, her Whitelighter, will help you guide her, as will Leo with the Charmed Ones."
"Leo? Leo Wyatt?"
"The very same."
Penny knew Leo. He was present when Allan, her first husband, was murdered. He told her he died as a World War II medic, trying to save his best friend's brother.
"They're calling. I must go. Expect Leo and Adam sometime today." Penny looked away as the Elder orbed out. I need a drink. After I summon Patty.
~TBC Chapter Eight~
"Prue! Phoebe took my car! Can you drop me off at the bank, please?" Prue scrunched her nose.
"Uh, no, I can't, Piper. I have to be at work in thirty minutes! Ask Grams or call a cab!" Piper sighed as Prue hurried out of the door.
"Grams is still in the attic," Piper grumbled.
She walked upstairs anyway. As Piper became closer and closer to the attic, she heard two voices. One was clearly Grams. The other she didn't know. She reached for the door knob. As her hand closed around the handle, a familiar fragrance surrounded her nose. I know that scent. Mom? How? She's dead. Following her gut instinct, Piper turned the handle and pulled the door open. Once inside, Piper received the second shock of her life. Her mother, Patricia Halliwell, was standing before her! She had her back to Piper and was deep in conversation with Penny, who was flipping through a heavy-looking tome. That's the book Phoebe and Paige found the night we discovered our powers! Piper continued to stand in the doorway, content with listening to her mother's voice.
Patty knew her mother was in a mood even before she was summoned. So much has happened, so much was happening. She watched from the heavens as her daughters bonded and honed their powers. They were a force to be reckoned with! Prue could lift heavier objects and throw them farther distances, Piper's freezing range expanded, Phoebe was starting to get premonitions about the past, and Paige could call objects to her! Patty couldn't wait until her daughters reached their full potential!
"Paige isn't going to reach her full potential if she doesn't have all of her powers," Penny said as she telekinetically flipped through the Book of Shadows.
"Wasn't it you, Mother, who bound her Whitelighter powers to begin with? To protect her from Darklighters?" Darklighters? What are those? Piper thought.
"Yes, and so she wouldn't think she was any different than her sisters."
Penny found the page she was looking for and brought the Book to the small round table to concoct the potion. As Patty paced a circle around her mother, Piper took the time to get a closer look at her. She was just as she remembered!
"Have you told Sam about this? Paige is his daughter, too."
"No, and I don't think I will!"
"Mother!"
Piper took a step forward and inwardly groaned. She stepped onto a creaky floorboard! Before she knew what was happening, she was tossed, no, thrown into the air!
"Mom! That's Piper! Put her down!"
"I will, as soon as I know it is Piper! When is your youngest sister's birthday?"
"August, I think!" Piper managed to squeak out, she was terrified of heights!
Penny, satisfied with the answer, lowered her arm slowly, until her granddaughter was safely on the ground. She then proceeded to scold her.
"Piper! What are you doing here? Don't you have work today?"
"I-um, Phoebe took Paige to a job interview, driving my car, and Prue was going to be late, so she couldn't take me. I was wanting to ask you, but I didn't know where you were, and I heard voices up here, so I came to see who was talking," Piper explained.
Penny rolled her eyes. She knew she should have locked the attic door! She went back to the task at hand: mixing the reversal potion. Meanwhile, Patty smiled reassuringly at Piper. The last time Piper had seen her mother was when she was a few months shy of age five. Patty had died February of the year 1978. Prue was turning eight, Phoebe was two, turning three that November, and Paige was six months at the time of her death. Patty felt guilty about leaving her daughters so soon, even more guilty about giving Paige up.
"Mom? Is it really you?" Patty nodded.
"It is me, sweetie, I promise you, it's me."
With tears threatening secession from her eyes, Piper ran into her mother's open arms. Patty encased her second born within her arms, rubbing her back and feeling her silky hair strands. Piper smelled her mom's rich brown hair, the fragrance hit her like a ton of bricks. Peaches. The same shampoo Phoebe and I use!
"But how? I don't understand. How are you here?"
Piper let go of her mom and wiped her tear soaked face with her hands. Patty kept a hold on her as she explained.
"I'm still dead. I'm a ghost, sort of. Your Grams summoned me."
"Why?"
"To fill me in. You can't know everything that goes on down here just by watching from up there!"
"Up there?"
"Heaven."
"Oh."
"Piper, you mustn't tell your sisters about this. If you do, they'll summon me everyday. If they-or anyone of you- misuse magic, there would be dire consequences."
"But…."
"No buts, Piper. Your mother is right. Using your magic for personal gain is not right," Penny said, putting a cork stopper into a vial of liquid gold.
"Okay," Piper said softly.
"It is time for me to say good bye, I guess," Patty said, letting go of Piper.
"Why now? Can't you stay for a few more minutes?"
"I'm afraid not, sweetheart. I'll be watching, though, so behave."
Piper and Penny watched as light orbs surrounded Patty. She faded away in a matter of seconds.
"I'll let you summon her next time, hey?"
Piper laughed.
"Yeah, that'd be great, Grams."
~TBC Chapter Eight~
"That's great, Paige! So, when do you start?"
Paige glowed as she entered the car. She was hired on the spot! Her interview was with the boss manager of South Bay Social Services, Mr. Cowan. He had told her that he could use people like her on his team!
"Wednesday! Do you think you can drop me off?"
"Sure, I can."
"Thanks."
Phoebe drove them to a Burger King, where she ordered a Whopper and Paige requested a chicken sandwich. They sat outside in the playground area, watching as mothers and fathers watched their young ones at play. The two sisters watched as a young girl with dark red hair meet her mother at the bottom of the curved slide with a smile. 'That's so cute!' Paige thought.
"Mommy1 Can I go again? Please?" the girl asked. She was already making her way up the steps.
"One last time, Emily. We have to go afterwards," the mom replied. She walked back to her table, collecting the trash to dispose of.
The mom had her back turned to the slide and looked at her pager. Her daughter came down the slide and landed on the ground. A man wearing a black leather coat picked her up and carried her to his car. The mom turned around to see her child missing.
Phoebe dropped her burger and held her head with her hand. I didn't even touch anything! Paige leaned across the table, concerned.
"Phoebe? Are you okay? What did you see?"
Paige knew her sister had just had a vision. She was used to it.
"That girl…I think I saw her get abducted!" Paige's eyes widened.
"When? Where?"
"Here…and right now!" Paige turned her whole body to see what Phoebe was seeing. A man was picking up the girl as her mother responded to her pager. All other patrons were paying attention to their meals.
"Mommy!" the girl cried as the man jogged to the exit out of the playground.
The woman finally turned around at her daughter's cry.
"Emily!" she shouted. Phoebe and Paige jumped into action. Paige blocked the exit as Phoebe came up from behind the man.
"Excuse me, but are you the girl's father?" Paige asked.
"What's it to ya, kid? Move outta my way!"
Before Paige could say another word, she was shoved to the floor, allowing the kidnapper through the door. Phoebe came to her sister's side and help her up.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Guy shoved me pretty hard, though," Paige said, rubbing her shoulder.
"I'll get him, you stay here."
"No, no. It's better if we both follow him."
They entered the restaurant and spotted the man calmly walking with the girl struggling in his arms.
"I want my mommy!" Emily cried.
"Okay, sweetheart. Mommy's in the car waiting for us," the man said.
The patrons and employees paid no mind to the man and who they thought was his daughter.
"Someone stop that man! He's got my daughter!"
Now they panic! The mother pushed past Phoebe and Paige, almost knocking them to the floor. The man shifted into a run, with the mother hot on his trail. Patrons tried to make a grab for him, but he was just too fast. Phoebe and Paige caught up with abductor as he reached the exit. They each grabbed for his arms and tried to pry them apart, so Emily could get free. After seconds' worth of struggling, a buff man with huge muscles came to their aid, effectively loosening Emily from the abductor's hold. Emily picked herself up from the floor and ran into her mother's arms.
"Emily! You're okay, I got you!"
"Has anyone called the authorities yet?" the man who had a hold on the would-be kidnapper yelled out.
"Yes, they should be here any minute." an employee from behind the counter replied.
The abductor struggled within his captor's arms. Paige looked around for anything that would subdue him until the police arrived. She noticed a chair nearby. Now I just need a rope or something to tie him with.
"Phoebe, do you have anything to tie his hands with?"
"No. Ask around, someone's bound to have something, no pun intended," Phoebe added in afterthought.
Paige looked around. Maybe I could use belts. She noted about half of the restaurant patrons wore belts. How do I get them? She didn't want to randomly ask for belts, who does that? Focusing on a woman close to her, she held out her hand.
"Belt," she whispered.
The belt materialized in her hand. Paige quickly attached the man's arms to the back of the chair. I need another for his feet! She saw another man in the order line with a brown leather belt.
"Belt," she said, her voice slightly louder.
She attached this belt around the man's legs and legs of the chair. Once he was thoroughly secure, she admired her handiwork.
"Paige! What did you do?" Phoebe questioned, staring at the bound man.
"I used my power. I think it's growing! In the beginning, I could only move things, now, I can call for them!"
"That's great, sis, but what if someone saw you?" Phoebe whispered. Paige looked contrite.
"Oops?" Phoebe rolled her eyes.
"Just hope that nobody saw that, okay?" Paige nodded. I wish Piper was here. She could have frozen the place until the cops came!
~TBC Chapter Eight~
"I wish you were here, Roger," Prue said into the phone. "When are you supposed to be coming back?"
"In two days, Prue. I'm sorry I can't leave any sooner."
"I understand. I'll be waiting. Bye. I love you."
Prue put the phone back in its cradle and bit her lip. Before he left for New York, Roger said he had a surprise for her. She abhorred surprises, but she guessed it couldn't hurt if it was from her boyfriend!
~TBC Chapter Eight~
Just as Penny got back from dropping her second granddaughter off at work, she was met with two gazes in her attic. The two young men were vastly different in stature and features.
"Hello, Penny."
"Hello, Leo. How are you these days?"
"Good, good, And you?"
"Likewise. And you are?"
"Adam Verde. I'm Paige's guide."
Penny shook Adam's hand. The trio was silent for a few seconds, and then Penny spoke.
"The girls are out. Well, Prue and Piper are at work, Phoebe and Paige should be home any minute."
"That's fine. Gives us more time to talk," Adam said.
"Yes, Penny, would you mind telling us about our charges? I understand that they are young adults." Penelope nodded.
"Yes, that is correct. What would you like to know? Their personality? Powers?"
"Let's start with powers," Adam said. He had already witnessed his charge's power, but he wouldn't pass up the chance to know her sisters' powers.
"Prue, the oldest, has telekinesis. Piper can freeze things and Phoebe has premonitions. Paige also has telekinesis," Penny explained.
"Isn't your youngest granddaughter half Whitelighter? How did she end up with a pure Wiccan power?" Leo inquired. Penny pursed her lips.
"I didn't want any Darklighterz to come after her, so I made a potion to bind her Whitelighter powers. Now that I know the girls are more comfortable with their powers, I am going to unbind Paige's Whitelighter abilities."
~TBC Chapter Eight~
"Not a word to Grams, okay?"
Paige gave Phoebe a 'or else' expression and stepped into the Manor. Her sister replied with a face of her own.
"Like I would! We both used our powers, remember? Not to mention, we helped put a kidnapper behind bars!"
The second the police arrived at Burger King, Emily's mother loudly thanked Paige and Phoebe for the safe return of her daughter. The sisters shrugged the praise off and applauded the man who had helped restrain the abductor. The authorities awarded the sisters and the man with certificates and were on their way. Rebecca, Emily's mother, offered babysitting jobs to Paige and Phoebe, but they abstained, claiming they were too busy.
"Speaking of, if Grams finds out, I'm going to blame you! You're the one who used your power first!" Paige pointed out.
"That's not fair! It's not like I can control my power like you, Piper, and Prue can!" Phoebe retorted.
"Well, maybe you should practice!"
Paige stripped her coat off and hung it up on the rack. She went around a fuming Phoebe and climbed up the stairs. She made it to the second floor landing before she heard Phoebe running up behind her.
"I'll show you practice!" Phoebe yelled, jumping onto Paige's back.
With the force of the jump, Paige fell forward. Phoebe lifted her head up from the floor and pulled her hair.
"Phoebe!" Paige cried out. "Stop it!"
Hearing a thud outside the attic door, Penny dropped the dropper into the potion vial and sprinted after Adam and Leo. They came across Phoebe and Paige on the floor in the middle of the hall. Paige was on her back with Phoebe holding her arms.
"Phoebe! Paige! Phoebe, get off of your sister this instant!"
Penny was just about to use telekinesis to separate her granddaughters when Leo and Adam took the initiative and pulled the girls apart.
"What has gotten into you?" Penny demanded, incensed.
"Phoebe jumped me!"
"You provoked me!"
"Girls! One at a time! Pai-!"
Penny stopped. She put a hand over her heart and started to breathe heavily.
"Grams? Are you okay?"
Phoebe placed a hand on Grams' shoulder as Paige stood in front of her.
"Grams, breathe," Paige coached.
Penny collapsed. She cried out in pain before becoming dead to the world. Phoebe pulled her grandmother into a sitting position with Leo and Adam's help.
"Paige, call 911!" Phoebe ordered.
"Right!"
Paige ran down the stairs to collect the phone. As she made her way back up, Piper walked in the front door.
"Oh, hey, Paige. How did the interview go?" Piper asked.
"No time! Gotta call 911!" Paige shouted, not even stopping. Piper furrowed her eyebrows.
"911? What happened?" Piper quickly went into panic mode and followed her baby sister up the stairs.
She was greeted by the sight of Grams unconscious, two unfamiliar men beside her, and Phoebe, who was holding Grams' hand. Paige was already conversing with the first responder.
"Yes, I need an ambulance. My grandmother…my sisters and I think she had a heart attack. I'm sixteen. My sisters are eighteen and twenty. Yes, there are two men who were talking to Grams. What? Yeah, I think she knows them!…"
As Paige was talking with the responder, Piper used her power on the two men.
"Okay, I'm going to get Prue. If you leave before we get back, write a note telling us, okay?" Phoebe nodded as Piper ran to the stairs.
"Piper! You forgot to unfreeze these two!"
~TBC Chapter Eight~
Prue was having the greatest day ever, as great as one can get without the boyfriend. The museum had never seen so many patrons! They were running short of tour guides! She was just about to volunteer herself when her sister came looking for her.
"Prue! Thank God you're not out on your lunch break! You need to come with me! Grams had a heart attack!"