Thanks to my reviewers from the last chapter: -0-charmed-freak-0-, Jedi Alanna, and my new reviewer PH2W. It's good to have you and I hope you all continue to enjoy the story.
Jedi: I'm not sure about the letter yet. I don't know if I'm going to make it that easy. I know that sounds evil of me, lol, but rest assured they WILL find out one way or another. That I can promise you.
Story time
Chapter 7: Foster Witch
Darryl nervously paced the long corridor of the hospital.
After "Michael" was admitted three days ago, he made sure that hospital security was alerted to the seriousness of the situation and had someone placed on guard in front of his room. However, Darryl wasn't sure how long those measures would remain effective. He desperately needed to get in contact with one of the sisters.
"Captain," a young, uniformed officer approached, reporting for his shift.
Darryl nodded his acknowledgement, put up his hand and then moved away out of earshot. "Come on, come on. Pick up your phone," he had been trying for three days straight, unsuccessfully, to get in contact with the sisters. He had left several voicemails inferring how urgent it was for one of them to call him back right away. However, he had heard nothing from them. His hopes were raised when he heard the sound of a familiar voice. "Thank god, Phoebe, it's Darryl," but his relief was short-lived when he realized all he had reached was another voice recording.
"Hi. You've reached Phoebe Halliwell. Sorry I can't pick up right now but leave your name and number and I promise to get back to you. Thanks," came Phoebe's recorded message.
After the beep, Darryl left another message. "Phoebe. This is Darryl. Again. You remember me, right? Darryl Morris, the cop who had your back for, what was it, seven years? Look, it's urgent that you get back to me. I've left messages for you and your sisters, and nobody has returned any of my calls. What I have to say isn't something I want to leave over a voicemail. Please call back as soon as you get this. I mean it!" He shut his cell phone, feeling quite agitated and impatient.
He decided to grab some coffee and a snack and headed in the direction of the hospital vending machines.
Darryl thought about the entire situation and what he was going to do. He hadn't seen nor spoken to any of the sisters in over a year, but he had a feeling that was all about to change. It was beginning to look more and more likely that he was going to be taking another cross-country trip back to his former home in sunny California.
There was just one small problem.
How am I going to convince the Holloways that it's in their best interest to make that trip with me, wondered Darryl.
X
"Doctor Gordon. Please report to the front of the nurse's station," came a voice over the hospital intercom system.
Marie sat curled up in a chair beside her husband while he slept. She felt utterly exhausted and had spent the past couple days here, mostly out of concern but also because she feared their apartment was unsafe to go back to.
Michael had been admitted with broken ribs and a concussion. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness, making it difficult for law enforcement to get an account about the attack. When interviewed, Marie had done her best to deliver what sounded like an attempted burglary gone wrong and, for whatever reason, Captain Morris had backed it up. It was a lie, of course, but what else was she supposed to say? The truth probably would have gotten her locked up for a night in the psyche ward.
At the sound of the door clicking open, Marie jumped, and the on-call nurse entered the room.
"Sorry," mouthed the nurse.
"No, it's fine," Marie had her hand on her chest, feeling relieved, although a little PTSD was probably to be expected after the incident in question. "Usually not this jumpy," she shared, getting up, and catching a brief glimpse of the officer just beyond the door that was left ajar.
"That's understandable," the nurse went to check the vitals and inspect the IV.
Marie made her way over to the window. Gazing out, she could make out the lights coming from the night-time traffic eight stories below. Turning back around, her eyes caught and locked with the young officer's outside in the hall. She shuddered; it was an involuntary reaction. Was he sneering, were those eyes narrowing in at her? His hand movements turned into slow motion. Was he reaching for something? Immediately breaking the eye contact, she tried to shake it off. C'mon, Marie, she admonished herself. Reading into things is not helping.
"Everything looks okay," the nurse informed her, breaking Marie's train of thought.
"Good to hear," Marie sighed, looking over at Michael.
"The pain meds should be wearing off soon," she let Marie know, making her way to leave. "We can give more later if he asks. Don't hesitate to use the call button if you need anything."
"Great, thanks," Marie nodded, smiling back at her.
The door closed and Marie was left alone in the room with her husband again. She shifted her attention to where she had left her empty coffee cup from the night before. Taking a careful look around, her focus then went back to the cup on the small table. She waved her hand through the air. Nothing. Trying a second time, she yielded the same result: no movement. She furrowed her brows in confusion. How had she done it before? She still didn't understand what she had done in the apartment to make it work.
Michael began grumbling in his sleep.
Turning around, Marie made her way back to his side.
He looked peaceful right now. Gently, she glided her fingers through his hair. There was this buried part of her feeling very guilty because it was clear the man had been after her, not Michael. It made her feel responsible, like this was somehow all her fault. Bending down, she pecked him lightly on the lips, swallowing over the growing lump in her throat. She came close to losing him, really losing him. They had been arguing again and it would have sucked if that had been the last time they ever saw each other.
Michael began to stir.
Pulling the chair closer to his bed, Marie sat down.
Slowly, Michael's eyes fluttered open. He took in the sight of his wife next to him gladly taking note, for the first time, that she appeared to be alright. "Hey. You're, okay, he mumbled, giving a weak smile.
She smiled back. "Yeah, I'm okay," she reassured him. "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit," he answered honestly.
Marie reached over to take his hand within her own.
"What happened?" he asked, taking in his surroundings. "Where am I?" He tried to raise himself up from the bed but was rewarded with an excruciating jolt through the back of his head. He flinched and brought his head back down to the pillow.
"Take it easy," Marie instructed. "You hit your head and the doctors said you have a slight concussion."
"You think?" Michael tried joking, hand resting on his head.
"We're in the hospital," she told him. "You also have some broken ribs and they're treating you for some minor burns."
He flinched again from feeling the after-effects of trying to get up too quickly. "Well, they're doing a bang-up job," he gritted through clenched teeth as he moved and held onto his side.
"What do you remember exactly?" she asked with a little trepidation. If he saw anything, she had no idea how she was going to explain it when she didn't have the answers herself. "Darryl said as soon as you were able, they needed to get a statement," she threw in.
"Getting ready to leave, I think," he began to recall, "and then, I don't know, this guy literally appeared from out of nowhere. To be honest, not even sure how he got in; I don't remember the door being unlocked."
Yeah, well, that's because I don't think he used the door, Marie thought to herself. "Is that all?" she pressed, looking down at her lap.
Michael observed her curiously. "Why?"
"Nothing, forget it," she suddenly backpedaled.
Michael watched the fidgeting with her hands. "I passed out," he added.
"Right, I know," she avoided eye contact.
Perhaps it was just his instincts as a cop, but something seemed a bit off. "I also saw him walking towards you, grab you; I thought he was going to kill me, but I blacked out shortly before," Michael elaborated. There was a brief pause. "Hey, is there something you want to tell me? He didn't hurt you, did he?" he felt his concern growing.
"No," Marie shook her head, "no, of course not," she denied vehemently.
"You're sure?" He watched closely to gauge her reaction.
"I'm fine. Darryl actually showed up in time, so ..." she left it at that. Captain Darryl Morris. He definitely knew, Marie reflected. Why did he cover up?
"Well ... good," he accepted, still unsure if there was more but she just wasn't saying.
Okay, so maybe he hadn't seen her send the strange man flying through the air and then watch him vanish with a raging fireball in hand, Marie concluded in her mind. Although, a part of her had been hoping he had, that way she wouldn't have to keep it a secret. Perhaps, together, they could have figured out what the hell was wrong with her, that's if, he hadn't run for the hills first. Honestly, if he had, who could really blame him. Would he leave her because of this? She didn't think she could handle that right now, not after Molly, and she didn't want to be viewed as a freak.
"You're sure there's nothing else?" he tried one more time.
"I'm sure," Marie was quick to lie but then reconsidered it. "Actually," she shut her eyes, "not true."
Michael tensed.
Marie averted her gaze. "Before he got away, he brought up Molly."
It took a moment for that to register. "Molly?" he repeated, the doubt already showing.
"Yes," she confirmed.
"Why would our daughter get brought up," he questioned, "you actually heard him say her name?"
"Well, not exactly, but he was talking about her," Marie insisted.
"Not exactly?" Michael challenged.
Marie shot him one of her looks. This was starting to feel like an interrogation. "I didn't need to hear her name to know what he meant."
"Then how do you know?" he pressed, watching intently.
Marie bolted up from the chair. "How do I know, I don't know, because there was nothing to gain from making it up; he was about to kill me," she began to pace. "I wish I could have taken care of the kid, his words, not mine," her frustration was rising.
"So, you could have just misunderstood?" Michael threw back. "You said it yourself, he was trying to kill you, you were in the moment, probably not thinking clearly," he listed off.
"Are you kidding me?" Marie challenged, crossing her arms and becoming defensive. "How about he brought it up because he took her," she was becoming emotional, "or if not that, maybe he was somehow involved."
"Again, no proof, no evidence," he shifted gears, his skepticism still quite evident.
"I know what I heard," her eyes were blazing. "And don't look at me like that!" she demanded. "I'm not crazy."
Andy put his hands up in the air, defending himself. "I didn't say you were crazy."
"Yet you obviously don't believe me," she accused. "Stop treating me like I'm one of your suspects."
"Hey, if you were in my position, what would you think?" he countered back.
"I would believe you!" Marie asserted strongly, her determined gaze never breaking away from his own.
"Okay, calm down," Michael insisted.
"Oh, believe me, I would love to calm down if I'd be taken seriously and knew what the hell was going on right now," she asserted. "You passed out, remember? I didn't and know what I heard," she reinforced. "There's no way he could have known about that."
Michael sighed, giving in for arguments sake. "Look, if you say he brought it up then I believe you." He chose his next words carefully. "I'm just cautioning against getting your hopes up or holding any expectations. No leads in over a year," he reminded her. "There are other possible explanations. He could have been some crazy who overheard us arguing before breaking in," he pointed out.
Marie stared back at him. The last thing she wanted to do was fight with him, especially after what they had just gone through. What he suggested was certainly plausible. Plausible, but not what her instincts were saying. "Maybe," she relented quietly.
"Yeah," Michael nodded, looking away, but the tension was still in the air.
There was something more going on here. Marie felt it. Her thoughts drifted back to Darryl Morris, and his wife Shelia, both thinking she was somebody named Prue. Apparently, their attacker believed she was somebody else too and it scared her to think that this might all somehow be connected to whatever happened with her daughter. She resolved herself to get to the bottom of it whether Michael believed her or not.
X
Phoebe seated herself in the first row of the family court.
Today was Molly's placement hearing and, as her social worker, Paige was due to be in court. However, her sister was nowhere in sight. Everyone else representing the case was already present inside the court room: the judge, the state's attorney, and Molly's court-appointed child advocate. Phoebe looked at her watch again, feeling anxious in the pit of her stomach.
Paige, where are you? Don't screw this up! she thought.
Within the last couple days, Phoebe had undergone an interview, background check, and a home visit from the state agency in order to be approved for a license to foster. Once all that had been approved with a little "magical" assistance from Paige, she was recommended to stand in as a foster parent for Molly. Phoebe was pulled back into the present by the sound of the door opening and closing. It was Paige. Thank god, Phoebe praised silently, closing her eyes to express the relief she felt.
Paige raced into the courtroom with a file in hand. She avoided making any eye contact with Phoebe so this would appear as formal as possible. "I apologize to the court," she announced out of breath. "Traffic!" She made her way to the front of the room to take her seat beside the others.
"We shall proceed," the judge announced after Paige was seated, sounding annoyed.
The attorney stood up to address the court. "Thank you, your Honor. I'm Assistant Attorney General Williams for the state. This is Paige Matthews, case worker, and Rachel Winters, court-appointed child advocate. We would like to present this recommendation before the family court."
The bailiff transported a folder over to the judge. While the judge proceeded to look over the file, Attorney Williams proceeded with the assessment. "The minor child has been abandoned, there are no records of origin to show for; therefore, the state recommends that Molly be placed in a temporary foster home. Later to be considered for a state-sanctioned adoption."
The judge listened. "Yes, please continue," he instructed.
"Paige Matthews, case worker, has recommended placement for the child at the residence of a Ms. Phoebe Halliwell. Ms. Halliwell has passed all the requirements pursuant to California statute to obtain a state license for foster care," she finished.
The judge addressed Paige. "Ms. Matthews? Is this your recommendation?"
Paige stood up behind the table and straightened out her skirt. She swallowed. "Yes, your Honor," she responded.
Turning to the last representative of the case, the judge addressed the child advocate. "And I take it there are no objections regarding the child's placement from your end, Ms. Winters?"
"No, your Honor," the child advocate replied.
"Very well. Since there are no objections, Ms. Phoebe Halliwell will be granted temporary custody until a more permanent placement can be found. Social Services will continue to perform its periodic home visits and we will reconvene for another hearing in three months' time. This is pending any other new information that may come to the court's attention regarding the minor child's parentage or background," the judge ordered, pounding down his gavel.
Upon hearing the judge's order, Phoebe closed her eyes and let out a huge sigh of relief. She looked over and made quick eye contact with Paige.
Paige gave her a subtle thumbs up sign to let her know they had done it.
Phoebe smiled and then made her way to exit out of the courtroom. Mission one accomplished. Mission number two still to go.
X
Piper and Billie sat together in the conservatory section of the manor.
Wyatt sat in the middle of the floor playing with his trucks while little Chris was enjoying his time watching his brother maneuver them across the floor. He reached out for one with a smile. The bright sun was shining through the windows and the two women were intently examining the pages from the Book of Shadows.
"There's got to be something in here to help us!" exclaimed Billie, with an edge of impatience to her voice. Abruptly, she stood up and started pacing the floor in front of Piper.
Piper sighed. "Billie, you need to calm down. We'll find something, the demons will eventually slip up. They always do," she tried to reassure her.
Billie brought her hands up in the air. "How? I mean, you, Phoebe, and Paige have been at it for the past three days and you've come up with nothing!"
It was true. The three sisters had spent the last three days during their free time trying to come up with any way they could to find something. They tried spells and scrying for locations but came up empty handed. They even tried scanning the book for every possible upper-level demon that stood a chance at being recruited by the Triad. Anything to figure out who this mysterious member could possibly be but no luck.
"Billie! The Triads are powerful. It's not going to be that easy to track her down if this unknown member is the one behind taking her back the other night," Piper tried to reason. "They're not your average come and find me type of demons."
Billie sighed. "Piper, I know, but they couldn't have just vanished in the Underworld. They have to be somewhere. How hard can it be to find a shape shifting demon? They're not that high level," she concluded.
"Yes, but maybe they're being protected or in a place that's sealed off from our magic," Piper suggested. "That's probably why the scrying isn't working," she added. Piper stood up and walked over to Billie. She put her hands on her shoulders to stop her from pacing and then brought them back down when Billie stopped. "Look," she continued. "I really think you should take a break. It's already been years a little bit more time isn't going to kill you. Or her. No pun intended," she cracked, which in turn made Billie smirk.
"Yeah," Billie muttered in mild agreement.
"Seriously," Piper persisted good-naturedly. "You want to have a clear head dealing with all this. Phoebe, Paige, and I said we would continue to sort this whole mess out and we meant it. We're not giving up on you or finding your sister."
Billie smiled back at her feeling reassured. "Thanks, and I know you guys are doing your best, especially with all that you're dealing with. It's just that it's all so frustrating. Ugh!" she exclaimed.
"Hey, even more of a reason to take a break," Piper urged. Then she made what she thought was a helpful suggestion. "Why don't you try heading over to Phoebe's. I'm sure she could use some help getting ready for Molly when she comes to stay with her."
"Oh! They're letting Phoebe take her in?" Billie asked. The information caught her interest.
"Yeah," Piper replied. "Paige and Phoebe were at the hearing earlier this morning. Phoebe called to let me know how it all went."
"Cool," Billie exclaimed. "That will definitely make it easier on you guys to keep a closer watch on her when the demons try to attack."
"Yeah, um, so why don't you head over there?" Piper pushed again. "And then maybe later on you could show Phoebe that letter and we could help you get started on finding out if there is something to find? Of course, only if you think you're ready to venture down that rabbit hole," she added as an afterthought.
Piper didn't want to push Billie into anything she wasn't ready for but she was all for finding ways to keep her mind distracted when it came to the "Christy" dilemma. She and her sisters opted out of telling Billie their theory that the real Christy had most likely been dead for a while and that more shape shifting demons had probably taken Christy's place again in order to get to her a second time. They felt it was safer, at least for Billie's sake, because this way she wouldn't be put in a position to kill someone she thought was her sister. Again. No, Piper figured she and her sisters could handle most of the Christy situation on their own and help guide Billie's interest elsewhere.
"Yeah, I guess I can to that," Billie agreed, "but if you find anything, you let me know," she stressed.
"Will do. Now go. Go!" Piper instructed and playfully began pushing Billie in the direction of the front door.
"Okay, I'm going, I'm going!" laughed Billie.
Billie exited the front door as Piper watched. After the front door closed, Piper turned around in time to catch somebody orbing into the foyer. It was Leo accompanied by someone who appeared to be an Elder, only she had never met him before. She began walking in their direction.
Wonder what this is about?
X
Paige exited the front door of the South Bay Social Services Department.
She was on her way to the South Side Children's Center to pick up Molly for the transport back to Phoebe's place. As she walked down the steps, her hands frantically searched inside her purse for the keys to her car. However, because she was distracted, she didn't notice the man she had bumped into as she kept walking.
"Oh! I'm so sorry," she exclaimed. When she looked up, she noticed who it was she had collided with. "Henry!"
"Paige, can we talk? Please?" he pleaded. "Look, I'm sick of us arguing and I really just want to talk this all through. You owe us at least that much."
Paige looked at her husband. "Uh, now is not a good time," she replied as she made her way to walk around him.
Gently, he grabbed her arm to stop her, and Paige turned around.
"Paige, please?" he begged. His eyes were pleading with hers. "How much longer is this going to go on? When you're not at work, you're not at home. And recently all your time seems to be back at the manor. When is there going to be time for us again?"
She sighed and looked at her watch. "Henry, I want to talk, I do, but I'm picking up a child from the Center and bringing her to her new foster home by five."
Henry placed his hands in his pockets and shook his head. "Okay," he relented. "We'll talk later but will you promise me to come? I just don't want you to be mad at me anymore. The silent treatment gets kind of old, ya know?" He cracked a small smile in her direction.
Paige smiled back as she felt the tension leave her body. She reached up, wrapped her hand behind his head, and brought her lips to his for a light kiss. "I'm not mad," she replied. "And you're right, we do need to talk. I promise I'll make the time as soon as I get off work."
Henry thought about it for a moment before answering. "Fine. Deal!" he concluded. "But I get first dibs on the remote control tonight."
Paige smiled and rolled her eyes for his benefit. "Oh whatever. Deal," she agreed.
X
"Hey, Piper!" exclaimed Leo after he orbed into the manor with a man beside him.
"Leo," Piper returned, taking cautious steps in the direction of her husband and this stranger.
"Where are the boys?" he asked.
Piper made it a point to plaster on a grin as she walked towards the two men before her but not because she was amused in anyway. "The boys are fine. They're playing in the other room," she replied through some slightly clenched teeth. "Uh, what's going on?"
Leo tensed.
Piper looked to the man standing beside her husband, dressed in white robes, signaling to everyone he was an Elder.
The man bowed his head slightly, as a gesture of greeting, and then introduced himself. "My name is Dimitri. I am a newly appointed Elder. I have been assigned the task of helping Leo reorganize the Magic School. It is a pleasure to meet you and congratulations on the news of your baby."
"Oh. Well, thank you?" Piper accepted, not quite sure what to make of the newcomer. "I think. Is that all this visit is for?" she pressed as she looked to her husband for confirmation, looking and feeling unconvinced.
She never knew what to expect with these guys. Was he really being sincere or was he buttering her up for something she wasn't going to like? Lately, they tended to be the bearers of bad news and that knowledge immediately put Piper on guard.
"Well, that's where you and I need to talk," Leo laughed a bit nervously.
Piper looked to Leo, raising her eyebrows as she addressed him. "Uh oh! Should I be dreading this or hoping for some good news for a change?"
"Uh, well ..." Leo stuttered but was cut off by Piper.
"Just spit it out!" his wife declared.
"The Elders gave me my powers back so that I could run the Magic School," he announced.
Piper remained silent for a few moments as she digested this new piece of information. Leo waited for her reaction. She felt awestruck. "Wait a minute," she finally replied. "Did you just say they gave you your powers back? When?"
Leo had a guilty expression plastered across his face and he hesitated on answering her question. "Um ..."
"Leo?" she pushed.
"They actually gave them back to me a few months ago. It's the only way that I can lead the school or come and go as I please. Remember, mortals aren't allowed to be there?" he stressed to her, hoping it would lessen the blow he was about to receive from not sharing this information sooner.
"Whoa!" came the reaction. "Three months ago? Why am I just finding out about this now? And what happened to leading a normal life and growing older together?" she stressed.
"None of that has changed, Piper," Leo insisted.
Up until this point, Dimitri had remained in the background listening to the on-going discussion. He decided to interrupt and defend Leo's position. "Actually, this time around, his magical status will not affect his mortality. Much like you and your sisters, he will remain mortal and continue to age. Which means he will grow old just like you and he is capable of dying just like you. The only difference is he will maintain a magical status for the purposes of the Magic School," he explained.
Piper looked to the Elder who had so boldly interrupted her discussion with her husband. "Uh huh, right. Now would that be Elder status or Whitelighter status? Because if you think your kind is going to be dragging my husband off for a second round to wherever it is you robe men decide to mingle, you've got another thing coming. Leo has a family and that's where he belongs!"
She declared this with solid determination and the woman's fiery spark did not go unnoticed by the Elder. He smiled gently as he replied. "No, Piper. Leo has been made the exception to that rule. We have no desire to pull your husband away from you again. Leo will possess Elder-like powers; however, he will remain mortal. His powers will allow him to head and teach at the magic school. That is all. No charges."
Piper listened to the words the Elder spoke before replying. "Yeah, well, from personal experience it's never that's all with any of you guys. Why do I have a feeling we're going to regret this?" she emphasized to Leo. She turned to leave and check on the boys as she pointed her finger back at her husband and added, "And don't think you're off the hook with me, Mister!"
Leo just looked to the Elder standing beside him and flashed him a smile.
"Good luck," Dimitri smiled back and orbed away.
X
Billie and Phoebe sat on the floor of the small spare bedroom in Phoebe's loft trying, without much success, to assemble a child's bed.
Billie scrunched up her nose. "Are you sure this goes here?" she asked. She was holding a plastic rod in one hand and two different sized screws in the other.
Phoebe looked up at the parts Billie was holding and proceeded to shrug her shoulders. "You know what?" she answered back. "I'm not sure about any of it. Which is actually kind of embarrassing considering that, in my day, I was pretty good with a wrench." She threw the remaining parts to the bed set on the ground as she grunted, feeling aggravated. "Ugh!" she groaned in frustration.
Billie flashed her an understanding smile. "Well, all that demon fighting had to replace something, right?" she offered up, trying to lighten the mood.
Phoebe stood up from the floor, stretching her limbs. "I'm half tempted to throw some magic in right about now. Paige is going to be here with her soon."
"What about personal gain?" Billie pointed out as she too got up and stretched.
"Yeah, well, screw personal gain!" Phoebe mocked. "A child's need to sleep is at stake here. I'm getting something to drink, coming?" Phoebe made her way out from the small bedroom and into the kitchen as Billie followed closely behind.
"Well, there's always the couch," Billie joked.
Phoebe gave Billie one of her looks as Billie smirked back at her. When they reached the kitchen sink, she handed Billie a glass of water she filled up from the faucet. After getting her own glass of water, she made her way over to her living room to sit on the couch. Billie sat down beside her.
"Actually, there's always Coop," supplied Phoebe. "I may be bound by the personal gain rule, but he isn't."
"Ah, good thinking!" Billie gave her the thumbs up sign.
Phoebe smiled. "Coop!" she shouted into the air.
In a pink shimmer created from a centered heart-shaped formation, Coop appeared before both girls. He noticed Billie immediately. "Oh, hey Billie," he greeted, before looking at Phoebe. He bent down and left a soft kiss on Phoebe's lips.
"Hey. Congratulations," added Billie, referring to the news on their recent engagement.
"Yeah, thanks," he smiled.
He knew Phoebe had broken the news without him but in the end, he knew he shouldn't have expected anything different. She wasn't one to hold information in for very long, if at all. Then he looked from between Phoebe and Billie as a quizzical expression spread across his face. "Was there something in particular you ladies needed?"
"Ah, see, look at that. We're not even married yet and he knows me so well," Phoebe joked with Billie, while earning a laugh from her and a smile from Coop.
"Do you think you can do me a big favor?" Phoebe smiled wide.
"And what would that be?" he smirked.
Billie spoke up and interjected on Phoebe's behalf. "Well, you see, Phoebe's sort of helping out this lost little girl who's coming to live with her. Only she's magical and needs a place to sleep ..." and she was cut off by the sound of Phoebe's voice.
"Thanks, Billie but I think I can take it from here."
"Oops, sorry about that," Billie apologized with an embarrassed smile.
Coop smiled at the innocent display of banter between the two.
"Yeah, anyway, what she said," Phoebe continued. "Do you think you can whip up Molly's bedroom in a flash," she clenched her teeth together. "I thought I could get it all done today but clearly that wasn't in the tarot cards," she explained, hoping to gain his sympathy.
"Yeah, and apparently she's misplaced her wrench too," Billie joked, while smirking.
Phoebe gave her a playful nudge.
"Molly?" Coop asked feeling confused.
"Right, she would be the little girl coming to live with me for a while," Phoebe revealed. "Did I not mention that to you?"
Coop smiled and shook his head no.
"Sorry." Phoebe knew she had kept it from him. "Probably should have remembered to share that little detail since you practically live here too," she added with a small laugh and some apologetic humor mixed in.
"Probably," Coop agreed although he wasn't really mad.
All of a sudden, they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. "And that would be her now!" Phoebe exclaimed. "Go! Go!"
She pushed him in the direction of the smaller bedroom. Once there, Coop sighed and then snapped his fingers. A bright light flashed from his ring and instantly the room was turned into a fully furnished and decorated child's bedroom.
Phoebe and Billie both approached the door.
Paige was waiting with the little girl by her side. When the door opened, Molly looked up into the face of the woman she had met a few days ago.
Phoebe brought herself down to the little girl's eye level with a friendly smile on her face. "Hi Molly. It's nice to see you again. You get to come and stay with me for a while, how's that?"
The little girl looked up at Paige and then snuggled closer to Paige's side.
Phoebe noticed the reaction and offered some more reassurance. "Hey, you know what, that's okay. You're still going to be able to see Paige whenever you want to," she encouraged.
Molly looked from Phoebe to Paige and Paige nodded her head in agreement.
Billie quietly stood in the background in observation mode. So, this was the little girl that the Triad wanted back so badly? The same Triad who took Christy. She silently wondered if there was any sort of connection between the two kidnappings.
Phoebe went for the introductions. "Molly, this is Billie, ok? She's a very special friend like me and Paige, helping with the bad people. You'll be seeing her around a lot."
Billie approached. "Hi there. It's nice to meet you." She put her hand out for the little girl to take.
Molly looked at the outstretched hand and tentatively reached out her own.
After making contact, a strange sensation shot between them. It was a spark of energy. It felt warm.
Whoa, that was way weird, Billie reacted.
Billie, Phoebe, Paige, and Molly all made their way into the living room.
To Be Continued: Okay, phew. Lol, it felt like it took me forever to get this chapter done. Anyways, I hope you liked it and of course all feedback is welcome. Another chapter will be coming soon.